Ranger Harry
by Meteoricshipyards
Summary: My 2010 Nanowrimo story.  A crossover between Harry Potter and Advanced Dungeons and Dragons.  Harry ends up in an ADnD world at a young age.  Trained as a Ranger, when Dumbledore gets him back he's not a little boy any more.
1. The Wish

**Ranger Harry**

A Harry Potter/ Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Crossover

**Disclaimer**: I do not own either Harry Potter or the ADnD rules.  
>To Advanced Dungeon and Dragons purists – well, really, there weren't any. Our group, like just about everyone, threw out rules as we felt like it, and changed the monsters to confuse and surprise the players. So don't complain that monster x wouldn't do that. I won't listen.<p>

**Chapter 1**

**The Wish**

SLAP!

"Inside, you freak! Maybe we'll let you out next week to feed you!"

Harry Potter, age 5, locked in the cupboard under the stairs, knew that crying didn't help, but he couldn't stop himself. He wished, really hard, that he could be somewhere else. Anywhere else. Somewhere far, far, away.

And then he was.

Which was not a good thing for the magical protections that were on the house.

* * *

><p>ADND<p>

Albus Dumbledore, of the many titles and jobs, was nodding off from reading the latest boring document from the Wizengamot. Minutia! The bugaboo of tiny minds that cannot grasp the big picture.

He took a sip of tea in the hopes that that might keep him awake when he was startled by a small explosion.

Had anyone been in the room, they would have seen why he was the defeater of Grindelwald. He was on his feet with his wand at ready before most people could blink.

Once he determined that the noise came from the self destruction of the monitoring instrument attuned to the Dursley's wards, he raced to the fireplace and threw in some floo powder. A quick trip to the Leaky Cauldron and a short apparition from there and he was on Privet drive. A wave of his wand transfigured his robes into muggle clothes.

He could not figure out what was going on. There were a lot of people standing around, asking what happened. There were a lot of broken windows in the houses he passed as he made his way to number 4.

The sight was unexpected. The house and grounds were charred, as were the walls of the surrounding houses that faced Number 4. The Dursleys were sitting on the curb, blood on their faces and clothes. Some neighbors were trying to help them, others appeared to be yelling at them. Dumbledore made his way over to the group.

"You!" Petunia shouted. "It's your fault! If you hadn't left us that ... that ... FREAK none of this would have happened!"

"What happened? Where is Harry?"

"He blew up our house is what happened!" Vernon yelled. A number of people were staring at Dumbledore, now.

"Where is Harry?" Dumbledore asked again.

"Probably still inside."

"Where?"

"In his room!" Vernon spit out. Dumbledore raced to the house and opened the door. The interior was mostly intact, except that all the glass in all the windows had blown in, and any other fragile object he could see had cracked or shattered. And the walls, ceiling, furniture, rugs, and floor were charred. He raced up the stairs and checked all the rooms. Unless Harry's was the extremely neat (except for the broken glass and mirror) room at one end of the corridor, he didn't see where Harry slept. One room was obviously the Dursleys'. Another, from the look of the clothes, was their overweight son. The third room was filled with broken toys and books, but had no place to actually sleep and no clothes in it. He ran downstairs and checked the basement - no Harry, and no place for him. He headed towards the front door, but something about the cupboard under the stairs stopped him. Why would you put a lock on a cupboard?

He unlocked the door and opened it, revealing a tiny mattress and a few clothes. But still no Harry. He waved his wand, and gasped.

Whatever happened here, there was a lot of magic involved. He cast some spells to protect the room, and left.

"Well?" Petunia asked as he came out.

"Well what?" he answered, not happy with the woman at all.

"What are you going to do about this?" she waved in the direction of the house.

"I'll be bringing some experts back and we'll see if we can find some clues as to what happened. And maybe bring charges against the people who would make a child live in a locked cupboard."

Petunia's face turned white as she noticed the neighbors heard that.

"Now see here," Vernon blustered, "you can't tell me how to run my own home!"

"If it involves protecting an innocent five year old, I think I, the neighborhood," he nodded at the people around who were looking at the Dursleys with anger, "and the law have a lot to say." With that he walked away while the sound of sirens came closer. The Dursleys might have had more to say, but were too busy being confronted by their neighbors.

* * *

><p>ADND ADND<p>

There was no one around. Harry had been wondering in the woods for some time now, trying to find someone to help him. He would have settled for just a road. But it looked like he was alone, facing a creature larger, and almost nastier looking, than Uncle Vernon in a trackless forest.

Harry stared in horror at the hairy beast that was approaching him through the trees. Maybe there _were_worse places than the Dursleys, he thought to himself. He was contemplating wishing himself away again, but he was so tired. He knew, instinctively, that there were no more wishes for him today.

The creature had huge teeth and very long and sharp looking claws. It approached on four legs but stood up, its arms reaching up and forward in a threatening manner. On it's back legs it was taller than Uncle Vernon, and it's brown fur covered torso was certainly as wide. It even seemed to have a pot belly like Uncle Vernon. The face, though, was hideous. Harry had seen bugs up close, and this looked like a giant version of one, with a sideways opening beak and large, unblinking eyes that looked like a horse fly's.

It advanced, and Harry tripped over some tree roots as he backed away from it.

Suddenly, its growl changed. It reached an arm around trying to get at something behind it, turning as it did so. Harry could see an arrow sticking out of it's back. Then two arrows. Then a third struck the creature's neck.

There was blood all over, as the thing fell to the ground and bled out.

Harry couldn't pull his eyes away from it until a voice asked, "So, little one, what are you doing in these woods?"

Harry looked up to see a tall, thin man dressed in brown. He was holding a sword in one hand and a bow in the other. A quiver of arrows was slung across his back. His face was sort of pudgy, and his cheeks made his eyes squint as he smiled at Harry. He had dark hair and a scraggly beard and, strangely, a red mustache.

"I'm lost," Harry said.

"Yes, I can guess that. I picked up your trail a few minutes ago. Good thing I did, or you would have been lunch for that bugbear.

"So what are you doing out here? Are your parents around somewhere?"

"My parents are dead," Harry mumbled, looking down. He felt embarrassed, because his aunt and uncle were always saying terrible things about his parents being no good and him thus being no good, too.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm Aratin, Ranger and Lord of Blue Mountain Cantref, at your service." The man bowed to Harry.

Harry looked wide eyed at him. He knew what it meant to serve. The Dursleys made him do it all the time. No one had ever done it for Harry, and this man seemed to be offering. Harry couldn't understand.

"And what is your name, my friend?"

Harry still couldn't understand. No one was his friend. His uncle said no one would ever be his friend.

"I'm Harry Potter," he answered, using the name he was instructed to use when asked his name. But at home, he was told, he would always be "the freak."

"Harry the Potter, eh? You are awfully young to have have mastered a trade." The child looked at him uncomprehending. Oh, well, perhaps it was just a joke his parents had with him, to call him the same trade as his father. "Would you do me a favor, Harry? Go past those trees and get my pack, please?"

That was more like it, Harry thought, being told to do things. Harry nodded and scrambled to comply. The ranger's eyebrows rose in surprise as the boy made very little noise moving through the woods. He returned with the heavy pack, less quiet, but still...

"Have you been trained in Ranger-craft, Harry?"

"Er, no. I don't go to school yet."

"Yet you move very quietly."

"Uncle Vernon doesn't like to hear me. I have to move very quietly at home." His face lost some of its color, and his hands went over his mouth. "Don't tell anyone I said that?"

Aratin couldn't understand the child's reaction, but realized he was afraid of something. He wasn't sure the boy had been that scared of the bugbear. He changed the subject.

"It's never too early to learn a new skill, right? Let me show you how to skin a bugbear. And I'll also show you the important parts, the parts that we can sell and make a little money. You up to learning?"

"Yes, sir," Harry replied, glad to be talking about something, anything, that didn't sound like he was "telling tales" about his uncle. Meanwhile, the Ranger was impressed with the way he answered so politely. Obviously, good breeding, he thought.

* * *

><p>ADND ADND ADND<p>

"Chief Mugwump."

"Unspeakable. What have you learned."

"The child is gone."

"I know that!"

"No, not missing. Gone. Gone from the world. Gone from the whole universe. It would seem that a door opened between two different realities, and he slipped through."

"What could cause that?"

Even though he couldn't see the face of the Unspeakable, he could tell the annoyance at the question. Dumbledore winced at the answer, realizing how foolish the question was.

"Magic. Probably unintended magic. It will work to keep magical children alive. That seems to be the case here. He was in such distress that his magic tried to get him as far away from the situation as possible. I hear the Deputy Headmistress told you that those were the worst sort of muggles?"

Dumbledore nodded. "What can we do?" he asked. "Is there any way to bring him back?"

"Is there anything of his that was left behind?"

"I have some items from his parents. I was going to give them to him when he was older."

"They may legally be his, but they're not emotionally his. A beloved toy or something might work best." Dumbledore was sure the Unspeakable knew that Harry hadn't had any toys. He winced inside.

"I rescued the blanket from the cupboard. It originally came from his family home. If anything, it might have been important to the child."

"Give it to us, and we'll see if we can use it to establish a connection between it and him."

Dumbledore retrieved the blanket. "It's been months. Would he still have any feelings for a blanket, if he's even still alive?"

"There are ways..."

* * *

><p>ADND ADND ADND ADND<p>

"Harry, this is Master Womberg. Master, this is Harry, my apprentice. I would like you to teach him as much archery as possible. He is only six, but if you could put him up for a month or so, I have a nest of orcs to clean out."

Harry stood quietly while his foster father and master introduced him. Harry had been living in Aratin's village for about a year, now. Aratin called it a cantref, which, he said, meant there were a hundred people and a cow. The village had more than a hundred people and more than four dozen cows. But, until someone very important complained, Aratin said, it would still be called a cantref.

To Harry, it was a wonderful year. Aratin was a Ranger, which meant he was a fighter with special knowledge of the woods. He started teaching Harry about the wilderness from the first day they met. After harvesting the monster Aratin had slain (although when telling the story, he always shared the victory with Harry by saying "we killed the bugbear"), he started teaching Harry how to track, by backtracking Harry's own path to the place where he had appeared.

Now, Harry was in a very different village, to learn from "the greatest archer in Wales." Aratin, meanwhile, would be fulfilling his duty to his lord by driving off or killing some marauding orcs. Harry wasn't sure what an orc was, but his master told him that he would learn eventually.

He wasn't sure what a _halfling_ was either, but now that he was meeting one, he understood. The archer wasn't much taller than Harry.

"Indeed I shall, Ranger Aratin. Since I agreed to your request, I invited my grandson Hamfast to join us, and help keep Harry company. He's twelve, but I believe you are bigger than he is, Harry. Also in the village is another human boy, Dendroginous, son of Druid Carapinatius. He's learning herb craft from Potion Mistress Greta, a few hills over. He's eight, if I remember right. I'm sure the boys will all get along."

"Druid Carapinatius will be joining me on our Adventure. Good bye, Harry. Learn all you can, but don't forget to have fun."

"Yes, sir," Harry said, and received a hug from his foster father. He really, really liked hugs and returned it with enthusiasm.

Harry went with Master Womberg to the round door set in the side of the hill. The Halfling hole was extensive, and Harry had his own room. He thought it funny that he was taller than Ham, but they still got along for the most part.

Dendroginous, or Dendreg, as his friends called him (and Harry was soon in that group) was even taller than Master Womberg. It turned out that Dendreg was learning woodcraft, too, but not quite the same as Harry. He was being trained by his father to become a Druid. During their free time, they shared what they knew with each other.

The month passed quickly, and when Aratin returned from what he called 'a successful adventure,' Dendreg's father was with him. All four of them made their way through the woods to Blue Mountain Cantref. The boys were happy to extend their time together, and Carapinatius decided to move his family closer to the cantref so the two boys could be together more in the future.

Harry celebrated their return home by bringing down his first deer with his new archery skill. They had a feast out in the woods that night.


	2. 2 The Quest of Mycroft

**Author Note: **I don't own Harry Potter or Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, and am not making any money from this, except when I loot the dead bodies.  
>Oh, and did I mention that this was my 2010 National Novel Writing Month's output? And that this year I'm writing a sequel to it? And that I'll post chapters as my current word count exceeds the size of the posted word count? So wish me a good muse, for the more I write the quicker this gets posted!<p>

**Chapter 2 **  
><strong>The Quest of Mycroft<strong>

Harry dodged as a throwing axe almost gave him a shave. He leaped forward and stabbed the gnoll who threw it. He twisted, avoiding a slash from another one. The battle was chaotic, but Harry felt that the tide had turned. The group of Dwarves from Kalin's Mine were overrunning the hoard of monsters from the east.

Harry jumped back as a rusty, spiked mace tried to make acquaintance with his guts. Once his feet were set, he could use his own sword to strike back at the hyena headed creature.

The Dwarves, well, actually Harry leading the Dwarves, had been tracking the raiding party for a week. It was one of three humanoid raiding parties sent by the Saxon king. Aratin was leading another with a group of Elves from the Laughing Valley. (Harry thought it was a stupid name, but that's what it translated from the Elvish.) And Lord James, son of James, the Paladin to whom Aratin pledged allegiance, was hunting the third group.

This was Harry's first time "in charge" of a war party. True, Scorfen the Dwarf was in charge of the Dwarven fighters, but Harry was the Ranger doing the tracking, thus, leading them.

Cutting an artery in the gnoll's leg brought it down. It would bleed out in a minute or two. Harry kicked the spear it had been using away and looked for other enemies. All were busy being slaughtered by the Dwarves, so Harry dispatched his last opponent, wiped his sword on the gnoll's clothes, and started scouting the area.

That night, after hunting down two gnolls that had slipped away, Harry collapsed onto his bedroll. It had been an exhausting day for the twelve year old but he smiled, satisfied with his actions. He had finally had his "own" adventure. Now he could tell stories around the campfire, too.

It hadn't been easy to reach his level of skill. Most Adventurers didn't start training until they were at least twelve. Aratin had spent many, many hours with him in the wilderness, teaching, demonstrating, just living. He had learned the use of the sword from both his foster father and Lars, the retired fighter who lived at Blue Mountain. He had even had a few lessons with Paladin James, Lord of Shrewsbury. Several trips to the Dwarves had included classes in axe fighting well as how to gauge the quality of a weapon. In the Elven village, the graceful immortals had taught him to care for horses, birds, and hounds, and how to train them and keep them well. It was only later that Harry realized that in all these journeys he was also learning his way around the area. What he didn't realize he was gaining was contacts and familiarity with the peoples of the area.

His knowledge of the geography, along with his tracking and fighting skills, were vital to the success of his current Adventure.

As he slept, he had a strange dream. He was back in the cupboard. He was sad and held his blanket tight. It was comforting and he relaxed. The next day he wondered at his dream, for it was the first time in years he had thought of his old life. He shook his head and ignored it. That life was gone. He was Ranger Harry now. He didn't live in a house any more. And he didn't live with those people.

The Dwarves (except for the unlucky ones who had guard duty during the night) lay sprawled all over the campsite. They had partied late into the night. The human boy had missed the beginning of the celebration as he hunted down the two escaped gnolls, and later missed the end, as he had gone to bed exhausted. Now it was the Dwarves turn to be exhausted. He briefly thought of getting revenge for the noise they had made last night, but decided against it. They would wake up soon, and he would start to lead them back to Kalin's Mine; their families revenged against the attackers. Then he could go home, too.

ADND

Dumbledore looked up from the pile of paperwork on his desk in the Ministry building. Sometimes he wondered about having too many jobs, but if not him, then who? Who else had such a clear view of the Greater Good? Who else could lead the Wizarding World with calm stability while the Muggle world swirled and spun in chaos and confusion?

But he needed the boy of prophecy. The door opened and the Unspeakable entered.

"Well?" Dumbledore wanted to know.

"We have made initial contact. He lives and we have touched his dreams."

"Can you retrieve him?"

"No."

"NO? No 'not yet'? or no 'not ever'?" the Supreme Mugwump demanded.

"Not yet. You think it's easy finding someone in a completely different universe? If I recall, you were late to an important meeting of the International Confederation because you misplaced your glasses."

"Yes, well, I couldn't put on my glasses to find them. So you found the boy and you will some day be able to retrieve him. When? What do you need to get it done?"

"Now that we've made contact, we need to change it from a mental to a physical connection. We need to open a gate."

"Oh." Dumbledore knew that opening a gate was difficult to do on the Earth. To do it between two universes would be very difficult. "Keep me informed of your progress. The boy has been missing for over three years. We have no idea what kind of conditions he's living in!"

"We didn't know what conditions he was living in when he lived with the Muggles, did we?" Dumbledore had the good sense to look away ashamed. Not that he felt ashamed, just that he knew he should present that image.

The Unspeakable left. Dumbledore seethed. He needed the boy. At least Voldemort had the good graces to stay lost.

ADND ADND

Harry woke up Dendreg for his turn at watch. They lit a couple of refilled lanterns, extinguished the ones that had illuminated the party while Harry kept watch, and filled them so they would be ready later. The cavern they were in was quiet, except for the breathing of the sleeping party members.

"This is stupid," Harry whispered to his friend. "We haven't seen an orc in days. The trappers, jellies, and other things are just random inhabitants of the caves. I feel that Mycroft hasn't told us the real goal of this adventure."

The Druid looked at the sleeping wizard. "I can't disagree, my friend. His comments about meeting Lord James have been vague. I would bet he only dropped the Paladin's name in order to gain support for this endeavor. Why would someone lie about meeting the lord of the land? It's not as if he passed along orders for Aratin to support him, or anything. He didn't seem to use the name, other than to say James suggested he check with Aratin."

Harry thought for a few minutes. "No, he didn't order anything in James' name. He didn't need to. He hired us and the others, so we were always free to say no. But what do you get from a Paladin that you don't need to "use"? What have we assumed because he said he talked with Lord James?"

Dendroginous, Druid Initiate of the 3rd Circle, and Harry's friend since he arrived, shrugged his shoulders.

"You're right. We assumed he was Good because he came from the Paladin."

"Watch him."

It was two days later, three warrens of giant rats, two grey oozes, and four giant snakes (which Harry politely asked to leave them alone, and, like all snakes he had encountered, had shown themselves to be very accommodating to him. They also warned the group about several upcoming traps and another rat warren where the snakes liked to go for lunch sometimes.) when Harry and Dendreg talked again, alone, which was a rarity while working their way through uncharted tunnels. They were resting, and Harry's and Dendreg's watches butted up against each other again.

They discussed the recent losses the party had taken. Pete, the weaver's boy who was interested in becoming an Adventurer had been dissolved by an ooze after being weakened by repeated rat bites. Also Timothy of London, one of the adventurers who had come with the magic user, Mycroft, fell into a poison pit trap and died. Mycroft, (Harry was pretty sure he was an Enchanter from the number of spells he used each day), was upset by that event, and Harry heard him wishing it was one of the "yokels" who had encountered it. Tim had been introduced as a "gentleman adventurer." Dendreg and Harry looked at each other and whispered "Thief."

There was nothing overt, but the two teens felt more and more that the goal of the adventure was not "Good." When Harry brought the matter up with Lars, a fighter from Aratin's village who had come out of retirement for "one last adventure" he just shrugged.

"Good, Evil. As long as they pay. Let me tell you about the time..." Harry felt this was a singularly shortsighted view, while he listened to Lars' story. There may be some exaggeration, but Harry always picked up tricks from the old adventurer.

The journey grew harder as they made their way deeper into the caverns. Two more of the Fighters died. That left their original party of ten with only six. Canon Kenneth, the cleric that accompanied Mycroft, did his best, but you can't always cure someone in the midst of battle.

Dendreg pointed out to Harry that Kenneth didn't wear any symbols for his god, nor did he pray out loud to him/her/or it. "Probably one of the evil ones," they guessed.

After successfully battling a group of minor demons - similar to, but not exactly quasits - Harry encountered his first purple worm. It bore only a passing resemblance to a snake; it certainly didn't speak snake.

Lars the Bold, the only other party member from Aratin's village, was killed by the worm. After the battle, Harry and Dendeg toasted their fallen companion.

"He kept saying he should have stayed home," Harry said.

"Yes, but you know if he hadn't come he would have been miserable about turning down another opportunity to Adventure. You remember how long he went on about your last job. He really wasn't happy being an ex-Adventurer."

Harry grinned. "Actually, I think he wasn't happy unless he had something to complain about."

"I think you're right, Harry. To Lars!"

The rest of the party joined in, "To Lars!"

"Yes, yes," Mycroft said after the toast. "Ranger, can you get us back to its lair? We can see what it's got for treasure."

Harry nodded. They would have to have a real funeral party back in town.

"I'll see what I can do."

The lair of the purple worm was profitable. Amidst the bones and bodily wastes of the giant invertebrate was a very large collection of coins, most being gold. There was also an iron rod that Mycroft determined to be a Rod of Immobility. He auctioned it off, and Harry took it instead of monetary treasure.

The next day they reached their destination, according to Mycroft. The caves suddenly took on the attributes of a mine - smooth floors and walls, arched ceilings, stone columns holding up the ceiling in places, and torches in sconces. Not very many, but some.

"I don't like the look of this," Harry told Dendreg.

"I don't like the size of the corridors, or height of the ceiling. Whatever comes through here is probably big."

ADND ADND ADND

Pathfinder Harry, Initiate Dendroginous, Enchanter Mycroft, and Canon Kenneth were the only survivors of the battle. The Cleric used his last healing spell to restore Dendreg to full health.

Harry looked around the carnage of the Ogre King's throne room. The magic wielding king ogre, five of his guards, and the two fighters loyal to Mycroft were dead. Harry had quaffed two healing potions during the middle of the fight, and a third after the battle and was feeling almost normal. Dendreg had taken a number of hits, too. The mace to the ribs had been the worst, but his hardened leather shirt had absorbed some of the damage, and the cleric had finished the healing. Mycroft was mostly out of spells until after a sleep and study session. However, as he pointed out, they were in the middle of an Ogre lair and should probably loot it and get out quickly.

While the mage and cleric searched the room, Dendreg and Harry collected any useful items from the bodies. They had had a conversation once about the practice; technically, they were looting the dead, but they were also in the midst of many potential enemies, and anything could help.

The fighters had some good weapons, but Harry wasn't going to use either of their larger swords until he had them checked for curses and alignment. He had been raised on stories of evil objects corrupting Rangers and Paladins. The whip of the ogre king was probably magic, and he set it aside for Mycroft. Magic Users always got the first pick of objects usable by MUs. There was also an ogre sized gold ring with a black stone with flickering red flecks in it. All the gold and silver pieces went into a special bag. Dendreg added some coins to the bag, too, but found nothing else magical.

"I think there's a hidden door, here. Ranger, check it out. Drat that Thief for dying."

Harry quickly confirmed that there was hidden door, and found the trigger rock one had to press to release it. It was at ogre height, so was above where the Cleric and Mycroft were searching.

The door opened on the ogre king's lair. However, what the Ogre's valued and what humans valued were two different things. The room and furniture was decked out in skins of his enemies and their heads on the wall - things like that. The chest with the large padlock looked promising, though. Cursing the dead thief again, the MU was unable to pick the lock. The cleric failed, too. Then they looked at Harry. He stepped into the throne room and picked up one of the dead ogres' maces - a lump of metal attached to a wood and metal shod handle - obviously not Ogre-made. Harry grasped it in both hands and brought it down with as much force as he could on the lock. With a snap and clang, the lock sprang open. Harry dropped the mace into his sack and stepped back, fingering his sword while watching the entrance way in case something heard the noise.

Dendreg joined them. "Not much on the bodies. What did you find in here?" he asked, looking at a particularly large head sitting in the corner. Reptillian, with a spike on its nose, and large sharp teeth, it was made out of stone.

"They defeated a basilisk," Dendreg said.

"It is of no matter, it's not here!" Mycroft said. Harry looked in the chest. Considering how large it was, the amount stored in it was minor.

Mycroft and Kenneth were pushing coins and jewelry around in the chest. Harry reflected that they had a bigger haul from the purple worm.

"What are you looking for?"

"An iron flask. If these are the ogres that attack Drednick the Violent, then the flask should be here!" Kenneth growled.

"Search the room!" Mycroft demanded. Harry saw that Dendreg had a strange expression on his face. Obsessed. Harry raised an eyebrow, but the Druid shook his head.

"I'll stay by the door," Harry said quietly.

"Good. Watch out for attacks fore and aft."

Harry nodded and started searching the wall with the door. Dendreg was wrinkling his nose and looking through the animal skins that the king ogre used as a bed. Harry finished without finding anything and looked at the room. He looked at the chest and smiled.

The chest lay open and still filled. He started filling the group loot bag with the contents. They would divide it up at less dangerous time. Once empty, he pulled out his dagger and plunged it into the lid of the chest.

The chest, obviously not ogre work, was lined with velvet, including the inside of the lid. However, the lid was several inches deep, and the velvet was positioned to allow a space in it. He cut away the soft cloth exposing a wooden interior with two latches at the edges. By this time the rest of the party was around him.

"Let me, Ranger," the Magic User ordered. Harry moved back and watched as Mycroft put his thumbs on the latches and pushed in. The board loosened.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, pulling his hands away. Harry could see two little bits of blood on this thumbs where something had pricked him. He stared at his hands for a moment and said, "Healing potion! NOW!"

"We're out, old friend," Kenneth answered.

"Neutralize poison?" Both Cleric and Druid shook their heads. "Slow poison?" he asked, knowing he was grasping at straws. Kenneth again shook his head.

"Damn Thief," were Mycroft's last words.

Kenneth looked at Harry. "Can you open it without killing yourself?"

Harry looked at it, and shrugged. "No guarantees. There may be more deadly traps inside. A poison gas container could kill us all. But we could just take the whole chest and open it back in town."

"Or along the trail, once I've rested and prepared," Kenneth countered.

"Sure. But there's only the three of us now, so the name of the game is not to be seen. We want to get out of here without any battles; there's too few of us," Harry warned. The others nodded.

They quickly rifled Mycroft's body, collecting anything that might be valuable or useful. Dendreg removed a pendant from the Magic User's neck. He tossed it to the Ranger.

"Here Harry, it's the same color as your eyes."

Harry examined it. The jewel was as his friend described. It was in a small gold symbol of three triangles, slightly offset, making a nine pointed star. Harry absently put it in his pocket.

ADND ADND ADND ADND

Three days later they were camped in the woods. It had taken more than two days to get out of the caves with only one major battle against a clan of goblins that was looking for a new home. It was an unprofitable victory, but at least there were no major wounds on the human side.

Now they were in the wilderness north and west of Shrewsbury, Paladin James' town. Kenneth finished his dinner, a squirrel roasted over the fire - one of three that Harry had shot - and looked at Harry intently.

"I would very much like to attempt to open the secret compartment of the chest. I would like to head east and eventually reach the Roman road from Deva to Wroxeter."

"If we come to the Blue Mountain Cantref, it's a fairly safe walk to Shrewsburry, and you can pick up a road heading east from there," Harry offered.

"I would rather be on my way. This ill conceived adventure of Mycroft's has left me anxious to get away from it, no offense. So if we can check the chest, we can see if it contains the relic that Mycroft was looking for."

Harry used a dagger to free the latches, avoiding touching the chest as much as possible. He was able to pry the door open to reveal a rune covered, iron flask.

"What is it?" Harry asked, as he handed the object to the Cleric.

"It is the flask of Tuerny the Merciless. A powerful, magical relic for which Mycroft and I have been searching for years. He's dead, but I have succeeded!"

Harry looked at the flask quizzically. There were just too many magic items in the world to know them all. He glanced at Dendreg and paused. It looked like the Druid knew the item.

"So, the ogres stole this from Drednick the Violent, right?"

"Yes," the Cleric said, putting the flask into his pack.

"Where did Drednik get it from?" Something in Dendreg's tone made the cleric look up.

"I don't exactly know. Somewhere west. Why?"

Dendreg ignored the question but asked one of his own.

"What are you going to do with the iffrit in it?" He stood up, an angry look on his face.

Kenneth, too, stood up, pulled something from his pocket and began chanting. Harry leaped up, the dagger he had used against the chest still in his hand, and lunged at the Cleric. Kenneth twisted, but was stabbed in the arm. He finished his chant and Harry found himself paralyzed.

Dendreg, meanwhile, cast his own spell on his oak walking stick. It glowed green briefly and he rushed the cleric. He swung and missed as the Canon dodged.

Kenneth pulled his own mace from his belt and was hefting it as Dendreg hit him. The evil Cleric swung his mace, but Dendreg avoided being hit. His return swing missed, and the two clerical adventurers started circling each other. Moving suddently they both attacked at the same time, bludgeoning each other. Both staggered back, gasping. Harry could only watch, unable to move while under the Hold Person spell.

Dendreg got another heavy blow to Kenneth, who fell to one knee and shook his head. He tried mumbling a spell, but Dendroginous brought his Shillelagh enhanced club down on his head, killing him.

Dendreg looked at Harry and sat down heavily. He cast a Cure Light Wounds spell on himself and commented.

"Let's go on an Adventure, you said. It will be fun, you said. Just clean out some orcs and we'll be done, you said. That's the last time I listen to you!" He put a pot on the fire to make some tea.

Harry's paralysis wore off before the water boiled.

"What do you mean, I talked you into coming! I never said any of that." Then Dendreg looked up, the smile on his face mocking his words.

"You are so easy!" he laughed.

"Fine! You finish fixing the tea, I'll check the body, then I want to move on."

"It's almost night."

"Yeah, well, Kenneth here might draw some unwanted visitors tonight, and I'd rather avoid it."

"Oh, very well."

Harry looked up from looting the body. "You knew about the flask?"

"It had come into possession of the Great Druid at some point in the past. It holds an iffrit, and is rather dangerous to try to use; lose control of the creature and you'll lose your life. But anyway, Drednick hires an orc army to attack the Great Druid and steal the flask. He succeeds. It's only fair that I bring the current Great one the flask for safekeeping again."

"What if he doesn't want it?"

"We'll probably be sent on a quest to destroy it."

Harry finished with the cleric. He had found some disturbing symbols on the body. Definitely, some sort of devil worshipper: Lawful Evil.

He took a mug of tea from his friend as he sat down and asked, "What do you mean, 'We'?"

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

They were two days from the Blue Mountain Cantref, relaxing in the light of a fire in the cool Autumn air when it happened. Harry and Dendreg both thought they had accumulated enough treasure to pay for the training to the next levels of their respective vocations. They knew from experience that this would mean weeks of intense training and very little time for socializing. So, as much as they wanted to get back, they were enjoying their time together.

But then the fire turned green and a face appeared in the middle of it. Made out of fire, it was rather hard to see details, but Harry was sure that it was of an old man with a beard.

"Harry! Harry Potter?" the fiery image called.

"Who calls me?" he answered.

"Stick your head in the fireplace so I can see you."

Harry looked at Dendreg who shook his head.

"Forget that! What are you? Some sort of fire elemental trying to get an easy meal?"

"I'm Albus Dumbledore, friend of your parents. I'm trying to bring you home."

"That's very kind of you, but it's only two day's hike and I'm rather looking forward to it. The leaves are changing and the weather's beautiful."

"It's going to rain the day after tomorrow," Dendreg said as an aside, having cast a weather prediction spell when they stopped.

"Shut up," Harry whispered.

"No," the face said. "I'm from the world where you were born. I've made this connection to bring you home to your friends and family."

Harry opened his canteen and threw water on the fire. The face looked surprised for a moment before it faded and the fire returned to its normal color.

"No way in the nine hells am I going back to my aunt and uncle's place," he told Dendreg. "I'm done with them. Let's get some sleep. If we get up early, and hike late tomorrow, we can reach Blue Mountain before midnight, but we'll avoid having to hike in the rain."

"I thought you wanted to enjoy the autumn days."

"Shut up."


	3. Oh Brave New World!

**Chapter 3**  
><strong>Oh Brave New World!<strong>

**AN: **Well, National Novel Writing Month was a bust. Didn't even get half way through it. However, I will be continuing with my writing and posting. Here's the next chapter. Interesting thing I seemed to have learned about my own writing - I write sequentially. If I skip a scene, leaving a note saying what I want to put there, it is ten times harder to insert it later than it probably would have been had I just written it. Just something strange about the way I write.

Incidently, as I got at least one question on it, Harry was probably 16 when he went on the Quest of Mycroft.

Enjoy!  
>Posted December 12, 2011<p>

* * *

><p>Albus Dumbledore slowly got off his knees. Whatever had happened, the floo-fire had suddenly gone out and left just the original, burning kind. His face and beard were worse for the experience.<p>

He looked at the Unspeakable.

"What happened?" Dumbledore asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"He didn't want to come."

"But he has to."

"Then we'll need to summon him rather than invite him."

"I was hoping to avoid that."

"Let me know what you want to do, Supreme Mugwump."

"No, get the ritual ready. It's obvious he's making a life for himself there. The sooner he's back, the better. Its been five years. We have only a few more months before his Hogwarts letter is supposed to go out." Dumbledore shook his head and added, "And he certainly didn't sound like a ten year old."

"He may not be. Different worlds - different time speeds."

Dumbledore went on with his day, highly disturbed.

ADND

Months later, Harry and Denreg were relaxing around the fire in the middle of woods three days west of the Blue Mountain. It had been a busy series of months. Harry and Dendreg had traveled to Stonehenge and presented the Iron Flask of Tuerny the Merciless to the Great Druid. He had assigned Dendreg the task of destroying the object, which involved Harry and Dendreg taking a ship to the Pillars of Hercules, finding their way into the cavern under the mountain, and smashing the flask against the Pillar of the Earth that was situated there. To do that required giving the Monks who guarded the Pillar a "donation", or as Harry would say, "*Cough*bribe*cough*."

After their return, Dendreg had to put aside his friendship with Harry and become his teacher. Harry had reached the point where he could learn some Druidic mysteries without threatening his vocation as a Ranger. Dendreg had been teaching Harry the next level of meditation skills that would allow him to commune with Mother Nature and grant him the 'spells' that the Druids use. Today he had reached a breakthrough-he had summoned a deer. He was well instructed in the sorts of abilities he could be expected to gain. In a year or so he would start training in low level magic user spells, too.

The drawback with magic, as Harry saw it, was that you had to guess which spells you would use at the beginning of the day. If you guessed wrong you were out of luck. Or you would be if you were a Druid or Magic User. As a Ranger, he would always have his bow and sword as his primary weapons.

Dendreg had produced a skin of Brewer John's latest barrel in celebration of Harry's achievement. They drank slowly; neither Harry nor Dendreg were heavy drinkers, and the skin was not large. They talked late into the night. Then Dendreg put up a protective circle around them, and they went to bed secure in the knowledge that any hostile animal crossing the circle would wake up the Druid.

Harry, however was the one awakened. It was around midnight, he automatically noticed, as he felt himself dragged across the ground. Trying to stop himself, he grabbed at anything-which in this case meant his pack.

His yell woke Dendreg. With the skills developed over many rude awakenings in his adventures, he woke instantly, leaped to his feet, and saw Harry disappearing, feet first, into the fire, which had turned green and become much larger than when they had fallen asleep.

Dendreg reached for his childhood friend but it was too late. Harry's startled face disappeared into the flames quickly followed by his arms and hands, one clutching his pack the other vainly trying to grasp anything to stop his motion.

As the bag entered the fire and vanished, the flames returned to their normal color and died away.

Dendroginous the Druid looked at the coals of a fire, Harry's new long sword and scabbard, and a few marks on the ground-the only indication that he didn't go asleep alone.

ADND ADND

Harry started as his vision cleared. He was lying on a stone floor with a rune engraved circle surrounding him. Experience told him he was far underground. Looking around he saw that there were only two other people in the room, one very old and both dressed in robes. The older one was definitely a Magic User, the other maybe a Cleric.

He pulled the dagger from his ankle sheath and threw it into the one with the long beard. He dove forward to avoid any counter strike that may have been coming his way while reaching into his pack. He rolled and leaped to his feet holding his short sword.

But the battle ended when he heard "Stupify" from the old man.

ADND ADND ADND

Dumbledore looked at the young man who just threw a knife into his robes. The weapon had done minimal damage to him and that was fixed with a quick spell.

"What went wrong? Why didn't Harry Potter come? And who is this?"

The Unspeakable shook his head. "You saw the ritual. Nothing went wrong. Either that is Harry Potter or not. My work is done."

Dumbledore looked at his prisoner while the Unspeakable cast the complicated spells that removed the runes from the floor, ceiling, and all four walls - interdimensional summoning was dangerous and they wanted no chance of anything escaping - Dumbledore created a chair and levitated the fighter into it. He cast a sticking charm - the use of a sword indicated there probably wasn't magic in the world he came from. He wanted the child to be disoriented.

The Unspeakable left, reluctantly, at the Supreme Mugwump's insistence. He then revived the child and said in his grandfatherly voice, "Good evening. May I ask who you are?"

The child found he was stuck to the chair and glared at him. "The fact that you captured me without knowing who I am gives me some clues as to who you are. The wizard Athalar the Cruel is said to have a huge beard, but is bald. Wizard Gartvar of Iron Tower has no description, as his victims never live to tell the tale. Or you could be the rumored Em Yew that is helping the Saxons that hold London in thrall. If that is the case then you took me in vain-Lord James does not take me into his confidence."

"Your words generate a hundred questions and answer very few. But to answer your question, I am Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and Headmaster of Hogwarts school for Witches and Wizards. May I know your name?"

"I am Ranger Harry. Where is Druid Dendroginous?"

"Harry? As in Harry Potter?"

"Only my mentor may tease me with that name. And definitely not my enemies."

"Oh, my dear boy, I am not your enemy. I was a friend of your parents, James and Lily Potter."

"Then my father really was a potter. It doesn't matter, I have my own name now."

"Yes, and you really are Harry Potter."

"I told you, Warlock, that only my lord and master may joke about that."

"Harry..."

"And we are not friends that you may call me by my name without my title, Warlock Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

"And what is your title?"

Harry rolled his eyes. He had always heard that intelligence was a requirement of Magic Users.

"I told you, Ranger."

"Ranger Harry Potter."

Harry was starting to get agitated. "No potter! I have never thrown a dish, goblet, or pitcher in my life. Why do you persist so?"

"Your father. .. "

"My father was dead before I started my training. If I recall, he was a drunkard."

"James Potter was was no drunk. Who told you that?"

"My evil Aunt and Uncle."

"They will never trouble you again, Harry. They were jailed after your disappearance six years ago. So you see, you are safe to return home."

"Twelve."

"What?"

"It was twelve years ago that I was found in the wilderness near Blue Mountain."

"Well, you are safely home now."

"Then why am I still held?"

"Oh, terribly sorry, my boy You were rather upset when you first arrived." Dumbledore waved his wand and Harry could move his arms.

"So, I am not a prisoner?"

"Of course not, my boy! We've been worried about you for six years, and are happy to have you back."

"Good. You see that I am well. Now point me to the Blue Mountain, and I'll be on my way."

Dumbledore's face fell at Harry's statement.

"Ah, yes. This Blue Mountain you keep mentioning. Well, there is a problem..."

Harry, who had stood up after finding himself unrestrained, stood looking at Dumbledore, an angry look on his face. Dumbledore seemed to age under that stare.

"Well, you see, I was hoping to fulfill your parents request to train you at the school I run, Hogwarts School of Magic."

"You are too late, Warlock Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. I have been trained since five to be a Ranger, and now that I have reached that goal, I will not give it up. perhaps in a few years when I am more experienced and ready to learn Em Yew spells, I can take advantage of your school. But until then, I have no use for it."

"But your parents. . . ."

"I'm sure my father was a fine artisan, and I'd love to see any of his work you might have, but I am a Ranger, and I take my job and responsibilities seriously."

Dumbledore looked at Harry as if he were crazy for a moment, then said, "Your father wasn't _A_ potter. His _name_was Potter." It was then Harry's turn to look at Dumbledore as if he was crazy.

During the next fifteen minutes while Dumbledore explained the concept of surnames to Ranger Harry, he also learned the practice of calling a child "son of" or "daughter of" until they became masters of their own field. He also came to understand that a Ranger was one of a group of professions that were commonly called "Adventurers" who (at least in somewhat civilized areas) protected the population with sword and magic.

Dumbledore ordered food, and explained how Harry had been on a different world; Harry grasped the concept right away, calling the two worlds "different material planes" and saying while some planes, like Hell, had multiple "planes" within one, it was never known that the material plane also had that property. Or at least he hadn't heard of it.

After Harry's admittedly vague explanation of the planes of existence, Dumbledore explained how they could summon beings from other planes, but not send them there. As Harry was originally from this plane, they had no way of connecting with his new world at this time. But Dumbledore would look into it.

In the mean time, why didn't Harry study magic at Hogwarts? Special accommodation could be arranged, and, after much debate, Harry was convinced that learning magic on this world wouldn't cause him to lose the chance to advance further as a Ranger on his. He agreed conditionally, privately planning to explore this new world and see how an Adventurer fit in. And maybe see if he could talk to someone besides Dumbledore in the Magic Users Guild about sending him home.

Meanwhile, Harry would be put up in the Leaky Cauldron and a teacher would come by in the morning to take him shopping.

Harry reluctantly agreed, with the proviso that he would leave to seek his own way home should he so desire. He didn't trust Dumbledore, and didn't think he was Good; which could mean he had dangerous or evil plans for Harry. He was too eager to get Harry to his school.

Another perk, to Harry's mind, was access to his parents vault. It seems his parents were well off. It was a fact that if you wanted cash, you fought dragons or Magic Users. You avoided Paladins, Rangers, and Monks (and certain Clerical orders). In the case of Paladins and Rangers, they were only allowed to own what they could carry. Harry's pack was a Bag of Holding, which allowed him to carry a lot of equipment, much of it magical. He had also spent a large chunk of gold to get it enchanted to only open to him and a designated Druid friend.

But monetarily, Harry was pretty strapped for cash at the moment. He had turned over a lot of gold to Aratin to hire trainers for him, and he would have trouble buying ale until he went on another adventure. That's why he had been thinking about Saxon controlled London so much lately.

Dumbledore took him by fireplace, he called it "floo-ing" to the inn. It was certainly a lot less spartan than many inns he had been in - no open barrels of ale behind the bar, no game hanging from the ceiling - but on the plus side, it had a wooden floor, which only the best public houses had. He didn't notice any ladies of the night, though. Not that he used them himself.

Dumbledore went up to the toothless man behind the bar.

"Tom, do you have a room that we can get for the rest of the summer. Mr. Potter..."

"Ranger."

Dumbledore turned to Harry with a twinkle in his eyes, but there was something artificial about his smile.

"I thought we discussed this..."

"I did, too. I will use my own name..."

"But your parents..."

"My birth parents are dead. Unless you are a necromancer and summon them up, they don't get a vote, and neither do you."

Several people looked up when Harry said 'necromancer' and Dumbledore looked unhappy about the attention that was getting.

"My name is Ranger Harry, however, I will accept Harry Ranger, too, in deference to your customs." Dumbledore stared at Harry who stared right back.

Harry broke the staring contest, but not by looking away. "Of course, I can always make my way in the wilderness. I'm very adept at that."

Dumbledore had an image of this young man trying to make his way through the muggle world. He grimaced, and nodded to Tom.

"One room for Harry Ranger until September first. He'll be going on the Hogwarts express that day."

Harry smiled at his victory. He turned to Tom, "Now, if you could point me to the privies, I'd be very grateful."

"Er, this way, Mr. Ranger, I'll show you to your room and the bathroom."

"But I need the privie."

"Just follow me."

ADND ADND ADND ADND

Harry was waiting at a table the next morning, picking at his breakfast and thinking about the whole concept of indoor plumbing, water pressure, drains, and water heaters. He wasn't so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice the severe woman who came out of the fireplace and walked towards him.

"Mr. Potter?" she asked.

Once again, he had the argument about his name culminating with his threat to not go to Hogwarts.

"Very well, Mr. Ranger, but please forgive me if I don't always remember; I was your parents' instructor, too, and you do look remarkably like your father." The instructor, he learned, was Professor McGonagall.

"I'll accept your apology in advance as long as it seems you are making an honest mistake. Shall we go?"

"You haven't finished your breakfast."

Harry looked at his plate. "I have. I'm not used to such a strange breakfast. Usually we have some bread and cheese, unless we've been on the trail for long enough to empty our provisions, in which case we save something from dinner for breakfast - roasted or boiled game, depending on the availability of herbs and roots. In bad times, we eat cram. If we're lucky, we can get lembas."

As they spoke of his life, they made their way out of the inn. Reaching the brick wall at the end of the back alley, Harry watched the magic door open. While impressive, he had seen a similar magic door in the lair of the Wizard Korax. This one, however, didn't open to a room full of zombies and wraiths.

The goblins of Gringotts were sufficiently similar to goblins he had fought for him to be uneasy the entire time he was at the bank. Professor McGonagall objected to the amount of gold he took, but he ignored her.

"I am in a whole new world, Professor McGonagall. I don't know yet what I'll need or want."

Harry was surprised to learn that the non-magicals used a different currency, which the goblins were happy to exchange for him. He was shocked when he found out the non-magical money was just paper. He didn't actually believe them until the professor took their side then he resigned himself to it, until such time as he could check it out for himself.

The shopping trip was a strange experience. He grudgingly accepted robes, but thought the student ones compared very poorly with those of wizards he had known and or fought. Potions equipment and ingredients were just something he had to learn to use. Stationary, he was familiar with, although he didn't use it. The bookstore was a surprise. He gasped at the sheer number of books and gazed in astonishment at printed letters, the printing press not something they had invented in his world.

Finally, they came to the wand shop. Harry almost skewered the old wand maker with a knife when he startled him with his "appear from no-where" trick. After the magical tape measure stopped annoying him and Ollivander finished his comments on wands, Harry spoke up.

"So I can't get a wand of Lightning here?"

"All our wands are multi-purpose. We don't enchant them for a single spell. Learn a lightning charm, if that's what you want."

"What about recharging them? How many spells can they cast between recharges?"

"The only thing that needs to be recharged is your own energy. As long as you have the strength, you can cast spells. Now stop asking silly, muggle questions, I have to find you your wand."

"Let's stick with holly. I'm not sure what core would work best though."

Ollivander looked at him with those large, silvery eyes. "I think I know my business, Mr. Ranger." They had argued over his name shortly after the almost fatal introductions.

"And I know my business, enchanter. Holly, while not as important as mistletoe, is sacred to the Druids, to which the Rangers are connected. As for a core; of the three creatures you mentioned, only unicorns are absolutely good, so a holly-unicorn wand would probably be best, if you have any of those."

Ollivander seemed to ignore Harry's suggestion, picking Beechwood and dragon

heart string for the first wand to test, then maple and phoenix feather, and finally ebony and unicorn hair. Only the last one seemed to react to Harry. He moved his hand when Ollivander tried to grab it back from him.

"But I feel something."

"Yes, yes," Ollivander said, impatiently. "The wand reacted to your magic, just not very much. We must find one that really matches you!"

Harry returned the wand, and the search went on. After a dozen wands, Harry scolded the Enchanter. "Ever hear the phrase 'the customer is always right'? How about we try some holly-unicorn wands now?"

"Ever hear the phrase, 'I'm a professional?' I will keep my own council, if you please!"

"Why don't you try to indulge me? The only wands that matched me even a little had unicorn hair. Let's just match it up with a holly stick?"

"Oh, very well!" Ollivander went around the room, pulling boxes seemingly at random off the shelf. He put down five boxes. Opening one, he handed Harry a wand.

"Holly and unicorn hair, ten and a half inches bendy. Hmm, nice reaction, but let's get something better." Holly and unicorn hair, eleven inches also felt right to Harry. They tried all five of the wands Ollivander had brought down. Harry's magic reacted to all five. Ollivander gave a "humph!" and went to look for more wands. Again, Harry reacted to all of them, but especially a twelve inch, firm one. There was one phoenix wand that Ollivander had slipped in, "Just to see" he said, but it didn't fit Harry as well as some of the others.

Harry bought the twelve inch wand and left the shop.

"Creepy guy," he said, under his breath. He was sure that McGonagall wouldn't let him get away with saying something like that out loud.

McGonagall delivered him back at the Leaky Cauldron and took her leave.

The trip through Diagon Alley had taken half of the afternoon. After a mid-afternoon dinner at the Leaky cauldron, Harry started to make his way to the muggle exit from the inn.

"Hold on, there, lad," Tom, the proprietor said. "You can't go out there looking like that?"

"What? What's wrong with how I look."

"You just can't walk around with weapons, even in the muggle world."

"It's just a short-sword."

"Come with me, please." Tom took him up to the first floor and opened a window overlooking muggle London. He pointed out the clothes people wore, the lack of weapons, and the way they ignored each other as they walked along. Harry also took note of the cars and buses that ran on the street. He remembered them from before - when he lived with his aunt and uncle. He reluctantly put his sword away, leaving the hidden knives where they were hidden.

Old Tom gave Harry a run down on blending in with muggles. Harry listened to it all, but felt only half of it was worth anything. "Be patient with them" was an almost universal code of conduct when dealing across cultures. The part about them "being barely more than animals, poor things" he ignored. He did get a quick course in muggle money, which was followed by a trip to Gringotts for some. Probably the most useful thing he got from the conversation was suggestions on how to keep the Statute of Secrecy. Harry hated lying, avoiding it since too much of such actions could lead to him being no longer considered Good and thus have a detrimental impact on his skills and abilities. Even had he realized he was in a world where the moral laws weren't enforced by the universe, he wouldn't have changed his actions. Less chance of falling into bad habits that could hurt him in the future.

After all of that, he rarely got further than the next store. The record shop on one side of the pub held very little interest for him. But the other side was a book store. It was soon after starting a conversation with the clerk that Harry had a tutor to teach him to read. Over the next two and a half weeks, he would be in the bookstore for several hours. The ten pounds an hour it cost him didn't seem excessive, considering all the gold that he was paying the Druids (through Dendreg, who got a cut) to teach him the Druidic magic. It soon became apparent to Alan, the salesclerk, that Harry wasn't reciprocating his interest, and in fact didn't even recognize it for what it was.

Finally, it was September first, and Harry left the pub, his bag of holding filled with beginner reading books that Alan thought he would like. He floo-ed from the pub to the train station and boarded the Hogwarts Express.


	4. To Oz!

**Disclaimer: **Not JKR, not Gary Gygax, not making money from it, not worth suing.  
>Posted 1229/2011. Happy Holidays!

**Chapter 4**  
><strong>To Oz!<strong>

Harry sat in the compartment of the Hogwarts Express. He wasn't sure he wanted to be here. When he asked about floo-ing to the school, Dumbledore had said, "It's part of the experience" and a chance to meet his fellow students. Harry, from his early memories, was a bit excited about the train ride, but as he watched the families saying goodbye to their children, Harry felt like he didn't belong. His family was in another plane of existence.

But here he was on the train while lots of children (even the older ones seemed like children to him) raced up and down the isles. No one seemed to want to enter his compartment, which was fine with him. He watched as a family of red heads entered the platform and hurried to the train. The last one boarded as the train whistle warned of imminent departure.

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside his compartment. He opened the door and looked out.

Tiny children, was his first thought. He may have been smaller than them when he switched worlds, but he felt that he was never as young as them.

"Problems, kids?" he asked, his voice seeming to carry over the din. The bushy haired girl outside the door looked up at him and said, "This boy won't let me pass."

The blond boy in question turned around, looked at him and proclaimed, "Mudbloods shouldn't even be allowed in Hogwarts."

"In case you haven't heard," Harry growled, "your opinion doesn't matter."

For a moment, it looked like the blond boy might have a reply, but he looked at the sword hung on Harry's belt, and he realized that the person talking to him wasn't a student, but someone very, very dangerous. He hurried past the girl and disappeared towards the next car, a comment about his father falling on deaf ears. Harry looked at the girl, who seemed a bit frightened of him, and he gave her a smile.

"Can I help you with your luggage?" he asked, picking up her steamer trunk.

"Er, thank you," she said, hesitantly.

"First year at Hogwarts?" he asked.

"Yes. And I have to say, I'm disappointed that the magical world is as bad as the muggle one."

"I think you'll find that people are people where-ever you go. There will be good ones and bad ones, and in-between ones. Just keep your guard up, watch your back, and be a friend if you want friends."

Harry noticed the girl roll her eyes, and he smiled. There was nothing wrong in what he said; but it took time to learn that the advice given by your elders was often good advice. It took _him_ long enough to learn that lesson.

He poked his head into a compartment with some other girls about the same size as the one following him.

"First years?"

"Yes," a hesitant blond, pig-tailed one said.

"Good. Got a friend for you." He put the trunk on the overhead rack, beckoning the bushy haired girl in. "This is, hmmm. I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, my lady."

"Hermione Granger."

"Hermione Granger," Harry repeated to the rest of the group. "And you all are?"

"Susan Bones."

"Hannah Abbot."

"Mandy Brockenhurst."

"And I'm Harry Ranger. Well met! Enjoy the trip!" Harry headed back to his own compartment.

With a final whistle, the train pulled away from the station. Harry helped the youngest of the redheads get past his brothers who were teasing him. Harry conducted him to a compartment with a couple of other first years, Ernie McMillian, and Tony Goldstien.

"Trying to get a prefect badge?" a pretty young woman asked him,

"I'm sorry? A what?"

"You know, one of these," she pointed at the badge on her Hogwarts robe, It was bronze and along with some writing had a badger image on it.

"You're in the exclusive order of the badger?"

"Right! And it means," and her voice changed, "I have the power!"

"What power?"

"Never mind. Muggle reference. I thought you were muggle raised, since you aren't wearing robes."

"I think you could say I wasn't muggle or magical raised. But we should probably get out of the corridor; we're blocking the way."

"Yes. Oh! I've got to get to the prefect meeting. I'll see you later."

As the girl headed for the front of the train, Harry called, "What's your name?"

"Tonks!"

"I'm Harry." He had decided that if he were going to a school for children, he could pretend to be a child and fore go his title.

Harry went back to his compartment and sat down. He looked out the window and saw that they were already out of downtown London.

Harry wondered about the London of his world. He was sure that it was quite different. Besides, it had been captured by Saxons a couple of decades ago. Stories said that the local population had mostly abandoned the city. He knew that James talked about someday raising an army to fight them, but it hadn't happened yet. They would need people to scout it out. He smiled. That would probably be his job. Provided that Warlock Dumbledore was telling the truth and he could get home.

The door to his compartment opened and the busy haired girl, Hermione Granger and a pudgy boy looked in.

"Have you seen a toad? Neville has lost one."

He glanced outside. Wasn't even noon. He had nothing better to do.

"Show me where you were when you lost him," Harry said, getting up.

"Are those real swords?" The boy, Neville asked.

"Yes. This one I've been using since I was about seven. This one," he indicated the larger one on his back, "replaces a more recent gift from the lord of the land. I planned on selling my short sword, though I am sentimentally attached to it." The long sword came from a shop in Diagon Alley. To Harry's trained eye (and arm) it seemed like a good sword made from excellent steel. He wished he could talk to the blacksmith who made it, but the creator was somewhere on an island called New Zealand.

"Swords are dangerous," Hermione told him.

"I certainly hope so," Harry answered.

They reached a compartment at the end of the car. Several first year faces looked up as they opened the door.

"Any luck, Neville?" asked one boy. Neville shook his head.

Harry knelt down and checked the floor around the door. Rubbing a finger over a spot that Hermione couldn't see any different from any other bit of floor, he then sniffed the finger and smiled.

"Your toad came this way." He started crawling up the aisle, much to shock of the first years.

"You can't track a toad!" Hermione exclaimed.

"If you say so," Harry answered, pointing to a spot on the floor. "Toad fewmets."

"Huh?" Neville asked.

"You can't tell that!" Hermione huffed. Harry crawled most of the way to front of the car, now and then bringing his nose all the way down to the floor. He stop at almost the first compartment and nodded, stood up, knocked, and opened the door. It was the compartment with the first year girls that Harry had left Hermione with.

"Excuse me, ladies. I'm hunting a toad." Looking over the compartment, he dropped to the floor, reached under a seat, while Hannah gave a startled shriek, and pulled back his hand, holding a large toad.

"Trevor!" Neville exclaimed.

"That's impossible," Hermione huffed.

Harry rolled his eyes as he handed the toad back to Neville. "You're a Magic User and are complaining about non-magical skills being impossible? Good day ladies. Take care of your toad, sir. By your leave," and Harry returned to his own compartment as a group of first years gawked at him.

Harry sighed. He opened his bag of holding and pulled out a book. He had quite a collection of beginning readers in it since he wouldn't be able to visit the book store for the foreseeable future. His learning over the summer had included the alphabet and an introduction to many simple words. Harry knew this was going to be a long, slow, and probably painful process.

Hermione followed him into his compartment. "You can really track a toad?" she asked.

"To be honest, I've never done that before. If it hadn't put it's foot into its own excrement, I never would have found it."

"Ewww. What are you reading?" She perked up as soon as she saw the book.

"Something the bookstore owner suggested." Harry opened the book, a colorful drawing of two children looking out a window at a rainy day was above the large letters. "The. Sun. Was. Not. Shin-ning..."

"Shining." Hermione said, without thinking.

"Thank you. But I've got to learn this, so if you wouldn't mind?"

Suddenly it struck her. "You can't read!"

"I can read enough. I can recognize the names for the compass directions in six languages, the symbols or runes for various measurements, some towns' names...things I need for reading maps. Otherwise, no I can't read."

"But that's...that's..."

"Normal where I'm from. Magic Users, Clerics and by extension Paladins, clerks, and Thieves, which sometimes are the same thing, read. Others don't. Not much use for it. It's not like here. There aren't shops filled with books.

"But, if I'm to become a Magic User, then I'll have to learn, won't I."

Tonks came in at that moment. "Hi Harry. Rescuing another firstie from her brothers?"

"Hi, Tonks. No, rescued her beau's toad."

"NEVILLE IS NOT MY BEAU!"

"Me thinks she dost protest too much," Tonks said with a smile.

"Hmmph!" Hermione said and left in a huff.

"Meeting over. Can you imagine they made Heather Abernathy Head Girl?"

"Why?"

"Heck if I know. That Slytherin is totally unfit for the job! Er... you're not Slytherin by chance?"

"No, I don't think so. What's a Slytherin?"

"Wait! How can you not know that? What year are you?"

"This will be my first year at Hogwarts. What year are you?"

"Seventh, and last. Tell me you're not 11!"

"I'm not 11. I'm 17. And I have to get back to practicing reading."

This statement led to a short conversation similar to the one he had with Hermione but without the exclamations of disbelief.

"Well, this means you should be in Hufflepuff House." After describing the house system, Tonks explained her reasoning.

"Slytherins aren't known for having a helpful attitude. Ravenclaws, while helpful about schoolwork when they have to be, are very impatient with people who don't keep up, and you're starting so far behind, it isn't funny. Gryffindors, while nice enough, generally don't value schoolwork, and won't want to put in extra effort for someone else's work. But 'Puffs are well known for their helpfulness. You better join me in Hufflepuff."

Tonks would have liked to continue talking but Harry was insistent about getting back to learning to read.

"At least you're learning the classics; I remember reading The Cat in the Hat when I was small."

"The book store clerk said if I'm going to be reading beginner books, they may as well be interesting."

ADND

"First years! First years and Harry Potter!"

Tonks turned when she heard Hagrid yell, but it was too dark; she couldn't see the mysterious Boy-Who-Lived, and even if she could she wouldn't be able to recognize him. Shrugging her shoulders, she headed to the horseless carriages, wondering where Harry Ranger had got to.

Harry, meanwhile, had made his way to Hagrid. He stood back with other students who were hoping to catch a look at 'Harry Potter,' but the giant drove them away. Harry took the opportunity to slip unnoticed past the giant and made his way down the path to the lake.

He watched, unobserved, as the eleven year olds milled about waiting for further instructions. Harry thought it obvious that they were to get in the boats, so he threw a rock behind the children which caused them to turn in fright and allowed him to get into a boat unnoticed.

Hagrid eventually came down the trail, scratching his head.

"Where is Harry Potter?" the blond trouble maker who was bothering Hermione on the train asked in an imperial manner.

"I don't rightly know. He doesn't seem to be on the train. Well, ain't nothin' we can do abou' it. I still need to get you lot to Hogwarts. Get in the boats. No more'n 4 to a boat!"

Harry had been quietly pushing his boat away from the others while waiting. Thus none of the eleven year olds approached his boat. He didn't see any sign of oars or paddles in any of the boats, so when Hagrid had boarded his own boat, it didn't surprise the Ranger when they started moving on their own.

Harry stayed low in his boat and avoided detection. Hogwarts came into sight as they moved out of the little harbor where they boarded. Harry had to admit that it was an impressive sight, the castle's lit bright and reflected in the water, but so was Aratin's keep-and that was home.

"Watch yer 'eads."

They entered a dimly lit cavern. The boats docked near a stairway cut through the rock wall.

It was at this point Harry could no longer keep hidden since the boats were too close to each other and the dock too small. As the boat moved next to the rock dock, he had to get out or the boat would pull away from where they were unloading.

He stood to the side of the still growing group of 11 year olds, as the rest of the boats took their turn to disembark.

"Who?..." started one child, but was interrupted by Hermione.

"You're Harry Potter!"

"Oh, There you are, Harry. Come on, then. Up we go." Hagrid took Harry's sudden appearance without surprise.

Harry climbed the stairs at the end of the group, who kept turning to look at him. He ignored their questions and thought he noticed a hidden door in the rock wall next to the stairs. He smiled to himself; maybe this place wasn't going to be all work, he thought.

As the group stood before the door at the top of the stairs, the blond boy came over to Harry and started to say something.

"Potter..."

"Ranger," Harry interrupted.

"What?"

"My father's name may have been Potter, but mine is Ranger. I've worked very hard to get that name; I'm not going to lose it for some accident of birth and strange local customs."

"Er, I'm Malfoy. You'll find that some wizarding families are better than others. I can help you there." And he held out his hand to Harry.

"I have found most human groups contain good, evil, and in between. I doubt wizards are any different. Should I feel the need, I'll consult you." He shook Malfoy's hand. It never hurt to be polite. He could always stomp on the little bully later if he felt Malfoy needed it.

"Why are you shaking his hand? He's a dark wizard!" the redhead he had helped against his brothers commented.

"I'm not familiar with that term –- I know Good and Evil, and Law and Chaos. What is dark?"

"What?" the redhead seemed confused. "Everyone knows Dark Wizards are bad!"

Malfoy seemed about to answer when Harry held up his hand to forestall it.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Harry asked.

"What? No!"

"Then your statement was wrong, as I do not know anything about dark wizards. I've encountered Evil Magic Users and Chaotic Magic Users –- there was this hafling mage who thought it hilarious to... well, anyway –- I've never heard of a dark wizard. Is there a corresponding light wizard?"

"Dumbledore's the leading Light Wizard in the world!" the redhead said.

"Fine man, that Dumbledore," Hagrid added his two copper's worth from the door where he had knocked.

"Ah, so obviously, light and dark don't mean 'good' and 'evil.' So what is the meaning?"

But any response was interrupted by the door opening and Professor McGonagall appearing. The new students were led to a room near a very loud banquet hall, and asked to wait a few minutes after McGonagall had given a quick introduction to the house system.

Some of the children started talking about houses. Malfoy said something about leaving school if he were sorted into Hufflepuff, and Hermione Granger claimed Gryffindor as the house of the Headmaster. The redhead then claimed it was the best house, and asked him for confirmation.

Harry added his observation."From what I know, Hufflepuff is the best house." This brought ridicule from both the redhead and Malfoy.

"Bravery is fine, nothing wrong with ambition, and you just can't be smart enough, but that's the point - one person can't be smart enough, big ambitions take many people to accomplish, and it doesn't matter how brave you are, one person cannot defend a village. And in groups - loyalty and hard work are what's important."

Any response was interrupted by the arrival of some ghosts. Harry pulled out his dagger while sweeping an armful of children behind him. He got into a fighting stance and told the children "stay back. I'll try to hold them off."

The muggle-raised followed his order, while the ones with magical families and the ghosts looked at Harry as if he was crazy.

"Is there a problem?" a ghost that looked like a friar asked.

"This is a magic dagger. It can hurt even a ghost. Back away. No one need be dispelled or killed today!" Harry explained

"I say, that's dangerous," another ghost protested. He had turned too fast when he looked at Harry, though, and his head almost fell off. "Oh, bother," he said, as if it were a minor inconvenience as he replaced his head.

"And ghosts aren't?" Harry asked.

"Not at all," said the friar's ghost. "We're totally incorporeal - we can't move or affect anything material. The most we could do to you is keep you awake at night with our noises. Hardly a danger to you. The headmaster wouldn't allow us to keep the students from their sleep."

Harry lowered the knife, but didn't completely relax his stance.

Professor McGonagall chose that moment to reappear.

"Mr. Potter! What are you doing?"

"We were attacked by ghosts," he said. "I was trying to protect the children."

"Our ghosts do not attack people. Do they where you come from?"

"Yes. The one ghost I encountered, Wizard Kale of Nottingham, stole twenty years from one of our fighters. He was forced to give up adventuring after that because he was too old and weak to hold his favorite battleaxe. It was enchanted and was the same weapon he used to defeat the ghost. Last time I saw him, he was so enfeebled that he could barely walk, and his axe was placed above his mantle. So I take ghost attacks very seriously."

"Mr. Potter. . . ."

"Ranger!"

"Mr. Ranger, I just heard what the Fat Friar said and he was speaking the truth. The ghosts of this world do not seem to have the powers of the ones in your world. Please put your weapon away. And you," she addressed the ghosts, "get to the feast if you are going. And the rest of you, form two lines, and follow me. Mr. Pot... Mr. Ranger, you take the rear."

"Yes, Professor," Harry answered, watching the ghosts float right through a wall. At least that is the same between them, he thought. Harry started wondering what else was different between the creatures of the two worlds. He already knew that dragons were unintelligent beasts and werewolves didn't have the ability to change at will. What else might hurt him because he didn't know?

ADND ADND

Harry approached the Hufflepuff table amidst the scattered applause. Tonks shifted over to give him a seat. There was still whispering across the hall. Harry walked up to the table, palming his knife, and as he stood by the bench, slammed his hand down on the table. The knife caused a loud bang that shocked the students and teachers. There was instant silence.

"I'm going to say this one more time, then I'm going to start hurting people. My. Name. Is. Not. Potter." He glared around the room. "My name is Ranger!" One more glare, and he sat down. Looking at the head table, he noticed a dark haired, hook nosed man quietted by Dumbledore. The man glared at Harry in silence, and Harry felt that a confrontation would still come with whoever that was.

He sat down, and relaxed his face as he looked over his dinner-mates.

"Hi," he said, much more pleasantly.

ADND ADND ADND

Harry woke with the other seventh year Hufflepuffs, or as they called themselves sometimes, 'Puffs. As they got ready for the day, Nigel Redthorn noticed him attach a knife in a sheath to his wrist.

"I've seen arm mounted wand holders, but never a knife holder," he commented to Harry.

"These robes are very impractical. If I put it on my belt, as I normally would, I'd never get it out if I needed it."

"Er, Harry? You do know that this is a school. For children. Not a war zone. Right?"

"If you don't wish a painful death" he repeated in a poor imitation of the Headmaster. "If whatever it is that's in the corridor gets lose, I don't want to be totally unarmed."

"You have your wand..."

"First day as a Magic User, remember. Don't know any spells, and these sticks look like they'd make really poor weapons for stabbing something."

"Point. Just don't stab any of your house mates. We're the loyal ones, you remember. We look down on people who accidentally kill their dorm mates."

"Don't worry. I don't think I've ever killed anyone accidentally."

Nigel stopped moving for a moment and looked at Harry. "You know, Harry, I feel strangely un-reassured by that."

Harry just shrugged, and covered the knife with the sleeve of the school robes. The talk soon changed to classes and schedules and they joined the rest of the house in the common room for the trek to the Great Hall. The first years (and Harry) were told to eat quick so they could get a tour of the castle, at least the easiest routes to their classrooms.

Harry got the same schedule as the first years. Tuesday they had potions with the Ravenclaws first thing. The tour ended at the potions classroom where the Ravenclaws were already assembling. Harry stayed towards the back, with his back against a wall and in the shadows. The black haired instructor who scowled at him at dinner the previous night didn't seem to see Harry as he stomped down the hall and threw open the door to the classroom. Of course, he didn't acknowledge the other children, either. Harry slipped into a chair in the second row, as that seemed to be where his house mates were congregating. Professor Snape started calling roll.

"Mr. Potter, our new celeb..." he said as he reached Harry's name.

"It's Ranger! Am I going to have to have this conversation with everyone I meet?"

"Fifteen points from Hufflepuff for interrupting a teacher."

"How many points do you lose for not getting my name right?"

"Twenty points for your cheek! You are the son of James Potter, and you will respond to your birth name!"

"Oh, forget this! I'll be back if and when you get my name right." Harry put his paper and quill away and stood up.

"You will sit down!"

"Are you talking to me," Harry asked with a grin.

"Of course I'm talking to you, Potter!"

"Must not be, as that's not my name."

Snape, his face flushed in anger, pulled his wand and yelled "_I__ncarcerous!"_

Harry dodged to one side and leaped over the potion table. Snape's eyes widened, and cast a "_S__tupefy" _at the quickly approaching Ranger. Harry dove under the spell, rolled forward, and leaped up at the end of the roll. His left hand grabbed the wrist of the hand holding the wand, pulling down with most of his weight, while his right came up with a knife in it. He wasn't trying to kill Snape, so his fist holding the handle of the knife encountered Snape's chin while the potion master was being pulled down.

As Snape's head was going backwards, his hand was slamming into the desk. There was a crack as some bone broke, and then another as Harry slammed his foot on the wand, breaking it.

Harry let go of the damaged arm, grabbing Snape by his robes. While the potion master was taller than Harry, he was dazed and half lying on the table. Harry brought the knife point close to one of Snapes eyes.

That got his attention, as he paled back to his normal color.

"If you ever cast a spell at me again, I'll kill you. Understand?"

When Snape didn't answer immediately, Harry brought the knife closer to his eye.

"Last chance - understand?"

Snape managed a whispered, "Yes."

Harry nodded and let go, which caused Snape to fall to the floor and give a yell as he hurt his broken wrist.

As Harry turned around he noticed the student who was sitting behind him was tied to his chair. Harry strode over to her and cut the ropes.

"Sally Anne, right?" She nodded. "You alright?"

"Those ropes hurt."

"Anyone know the way to the nurse's office?" Harry asked. Several Ravenclaws tentatively raised their hands. "You, and you - take Sally Anne to her, and let the nurse know about your teacher."

The two students he pointed at almost ran out of the room without waiting for Sally Anne.

As Harry approached the door, Snape couldn't help himself and called out, "You'll be expelled for this!"

Harry smiled and looked at Snape. "I never wanted to come here in the first place."

"Your wand will be snapped!"

"So?"

His answer seemed to stop Snape who stared at him with wide eyes. Harry walked away with a laugh. If that was their idea of the worst thing they could do, he wasn't worried.

He made his way back to the Entrance Hall then down the other staircase to the basement. He walked into the Hufflepuff common room and sat down to practice writing. He was still working at that when some seventh years came in from History of Magic, including Tonks.

"Aren't you supposed to be in Potions?" she asked.

"I don't think I'll be taking that class any more. Snape and I don't see eye-to-eye."

"You just can't quit a class! Potions is a required class, you know!"

"Yes, well, I don't think it's going to be required for me. Not if Dumbledore doesn't want to replace the instructor."

"What do you mean?"

But before he could explain, a third year approached and told Harry that the Headmaster wanted to speak to him in his office. Harry asked around, and fount that the entrance to the headmaster's office was behind a gargoyle on the third floor. No one could tell him how to get past the gargoyle.

"Might as well get this over with," he said.

"Want some company?" Tonks asked.

"I don't think you were invited."

"I can still walk with you."

"Then come on."

Tonks took Harry away from the Entrance Hall. She pointed out a picture of a table filled with food and said that the kitchens were behind it. She showed him a secret door that led to a staircase ("Quickest way to the library," she explained). They made their way to the third floor and, after some searching ("Sorry, I've seen the gargoyle, but there isn't much call to be up here, especially with the 'painful death' on the other side of the castle on this floor").

Harry approached the gargoyle, which jumped aside. Unlike other gargoyles he had met, this one was truly a statue, which made its movement, well, magical. He glared at the spiral staircase going ever up.

"I wonder if it reverses to let people down," he said with a shrug and got on. At the top of the stairs was a door with a griffon door knocker, but before he could knock, there was a "Come in, Harry."

Harry opened the door, and stepped into a circular office dominated by a desk with the headmaster behind it. The walls that weren't covered in shelves, were filled with those magical, moving portraits. Snape and Sprout were also in the office.

"Thank you, Dumbledore."

Dumbledore's smile disappeared. "Please address me by my title."

"I'm sorry. When you didn't address me by mine, I thought you wanted us to be more familiar, Professor Dumbledore."

"See how arrogant he is!" Snape entered the conversation. Harry looked at him and saw that his wrist was fixed. He wondered if the nurse was a Cleric; it would make sense.

"Please Severus," Dumbledore interrupted before Sprout, who looked like she wanted to beat Snape, could say anything. Dumbledore turned to Harry. "Mr. Ranger, did you attack Professor Snape."

"I defended myself from Professor Snape."

"That's a lie! I was trying to maintain discipline in my class!"

"By casting painful hexes at me? Hardly."

"I'm sure..." Dumbledore began.

"You're _sure_? Did you talk to any students in the class about what happened? Did you talk with the school nurse about Sally Anne?"

"He's just like his father, and I want him expelled."

"Now, Severus..."

"That's alright with me."

"Mr. Ranger!" Sprout entered the conversation. "You need to educated!"

"Since both Potter and I are in agreement, I don't see that there's anything more to discuss, Headmaster. I'll have the house elves pack his things."

"QUIET, all of you! No one's being expelled. You will refrain from attacking teachers. You will address Mr. Ranger by his correct name!"

"Unacceptable," Snape said.

At the same time Harry answered, "Not good enough."

Dumbledore pinched his nose, and sighed the sigh of extreme put upon. Harry didn't buy it and smirked.

"What do you want Severus. I'll get to you in a moment, Harry."

"He attacked me. I demand severe repercussions!"

"Actually, I responded to his attack. Again, ask any of the students in the class."

"Yes, Albus," Sprout added. "Which students did you talk to about the incident?"

"None. I trust Severus completely."

Harry laughed, getting another glare from Snape. "You don't think he has a bias in this?"

"You little liar!"

Harry was about to challenge Snape to a duel, but realized he would probably chose wands as the weapon, so he held his tongue. Almost.

"Well, that's that. If this person you 'trust completely' can get away with slandering me, then I'm out of here. It shows that your trust isn't worth anything." Harry stood up, to protests by the headmaster and Sprout.

Albus Dumbledore hadn't had this much trouble with anyone since Minister Bagnold. He couldn't understand it. He was unable to threaten the boy with anything that he seemed to care about, and yet he needed him here. The only thing he seemed interested in was returning to that barbaric world from which the headmaster had rescued him. They just seemed to go in circle. He was ready to curse both Harry and Severus.

Harry was starting to get frustrated too. They had been at it for almost the whole second period. It had been fun at the beginning pushing Snape's buttons, but nothing was getting resolved. Dumbledore seemed to have a huge blind spot when it came to Snape. Sprout supported the stories he conveyed about what an immature bully he was as a teacher, but Dumbledore just couldn't get it through his skull. Finally the bell rang, signaling the end of second period. Harry stood up.

"I have Charms now. Either I'm a student here who does not take potions or I'm packing. Decide now."

Snape was probably going to add either his "expel him" or "arrogant" comment - the man was like a Magic Mouth, only able to repeat its phrase over and over. But something in Harry's face told Dumbledore that the time of decision was upon him and he signaled Snape to be silent.

"Very well, you are excused from potions. Severus, you will leave Mr. Ranger alone, do you understand? Mr. Ranger, get to class."

Sprout got up, too. "I too have to get to class. I've already missed one class, this shouldn't have taken so long and shouldn't have been so difficult to resolve, Albus. We will have more words on this later,"

"I'm looking forward to it," he said with no enthusiasm at all.

"Headmaster," Snape started, but Dumbledore stopped him with a look. Harry and Sprout left, but Harry would have loved to be a fly on the wall for the next conversation.

"I think you enjoyed riling him up, Mr. Ranger," Sprout said with a smile. "I'll check the point loss and return it for acting more mature than a teacher."

"Thank you Professor Sprout."

"Now get to class, as I must."

Tonks was still waiting in the room with the gargoyle.

"That took a long time," she said.

Harry nodded, "Yes, but in the end I got most of what I wanted."

"Most?"

"I would have liked at least an apology from Snape. Didn't get it. Didn't even get an acknowledgment that he was in the wrong, but it just goes to show that Dumbledore isn't Good."

"Good?"

"People fall into categories. Good, Neutral, Evil on one scale, and Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic on another. Certain professions tend to fall into certain alignments; for example Paladins are Lawful Good, Rangers are Good the other alignment doesn't matter, and theves aren't Good, but might not necessarily be Evil. Magic Users can fall into any category; and Dumbledore is not Good."

"But he's the leader of the Light."

"We'll have to talk about that more. I have to head up here to get to Charms. Where are you heading?"

"NEWT Potions."

"With Snape?" Tonks nodded. "Sorry, I think he'll be in a bad mood. See you at lunch?"

"Sure."

They parted and Harry had his first real instruction into magic and learned a spell to light up his wand. Two hours after lunch he experienced History of Magic with a ghost for a teacher. The class was as dead as the instructor.

Wednesday morning brought a disappointing Defense class with a stuttering teacher while the afternoon had the first Transfiguration class. Harry found that class, along with Charms, to be fascinating; whether that was because of good instructors or because the subjects themselves were interesting, he didn't know.

Thursday added another subject, Herbology. This one Harry could see application in his world, provided the plants were the similar. He realized there was no way to tell unless he studied, so he threw himself the class.

Reading and writing were coming slowly; unknown to Harry, he was doing better at writing than his tutors, which were a lot of the girls of Hufflepuff house) expected. But Harry had been making maps and copying runic symbols for years, so he was familiar with the instruments and making symbols.

The other first years made sure to include him in their study and homework sessions. That way he was able to keep up, despite the difficulty reading the text books.

Friday was Potions (which he didn't go to) and History of Magic again. As the ghost recited verbatim from the book, it was like another reading lesson to Harry, although, he had to admit, it probably wasn't as useful as his others. It did present the pronunciation of a lot of words his beginner reader books wouldn't include, but he didn't have the time to practice or sound out the words for himself, as the ghost just kept speaking. His feelings were mixed as to the benefits of the class.

ADND ADND ADND ADND

"Hey, Tonks. Doing anything Saturday?"  
>It was a few weeks into the term, and Harry felt his reading was much improved. It wasn't on par with even the slowest first year 'Puff but there was real improvement, and he was feeling both optimistic and bit confined.<p>

"No. What do you have in mind?"

"Noticed something the first day. Was wondering if you want to check it out with me."

"Could you be more vague?"

Harry seemed to think about that question for a moment. "No, that's probably as vague as I could make it. But in my defense, I want to surprise you, so that's why I'm not telling."

It was Tonk's turn to scrunch up her her face. "It won't get us in trouble will it?"

"It's not against the rules, if that's what you mean."

"Why does that not reassure me."

"Because I'm not sure what we might encounter."

"Now I'm really not reassured."

"It could be an Adventure. Or, it could be a bust. I just don't know."

When Tonks still looked skeptical, he smiled.

"Let me tell you one of Lar's adventures. Lars was a fighter in my village. He retired after a lifetime of adventuring, but would tell us stories about his adventures. Once he was with a group trying to break into a vampire's lair. They found some ruins of an old manor near where the vampires were reported. Amidst the ruins they found a door in the ground, a basement entrance or something. They worked very hard unlocking the door, sneaking in, and locking the door behind them, so that any patrols in the area who might check would report the door still locked.

"This took a bit of time, as they were trying very hard to be stealthy and careful. So, once they got the door relocked, they lit their lanterns and found they were in an old wine cellar, probably from when the manor house was still in use. They lost a morning, but acquired a good amount of old wine.

"So, while I doubt we'll encounter vampires, I can't even guarantee that we'll find any wine. But you never know."

"Oh, all right. I'll come."

"Great!"

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

Tonks had second thoughts when she met Harry after breakfast on Saturday. He had his pack with him; he never seemed to go anywhere without it. But he also had a leather shirt on over a chain mail one. Hanging from his belt was a metal helmet.

"What's all that?"

"I said we were probably not going to encounter vampires, but just in case..."

"You have got to be kidding."

"If it makes you feel any safer, we're not leaving the castle. Of course, if you take the Headmaster's "very painful death" literally, then that thought doesn't make _me_ feel safer, but you have more experience here than I."

"We're not going to the third floor, are we?"

"No. I wouldn't bring you there. I'm sure getting a fellow house member killed painfully would be frowned upon and might even result in lost house points."

"Fine, lets go."

Harry led Tonks to the Entrance hall. The large room had a huge, iron shod oak door that led outside. Across from the main door to the castle was a grand staircase that split half a floor up - one side leading to the central staircase with its moving stairs (and Ravenclaw tower) and the other being the most direct route to the Gryffindor tower. On the sides of the grand staircase were two narrower staircases leading down. The one on the left led to the dungeons, Slytherin's house, and the Potions classroom. On the right was the way to the basement and the kitchens, which Harry still hadn't visited yet.

To the left and right were openings for large corridors, the one on the right leading to the Great Hall, and the one on the left being another way to get to the central staircases and classrooms.

Next to each corridor was a door. To the left was a room that contained cleaning supplies, but to the right was a larger, more ornate door that the first years had come through on their arrival from the boats.

It was to this door that Harry led Tonks. A large well oiled deadbolt locked the door. Harry slid it aside, and opened the door.

"Here?"

"Yes," he said, closing the door behind them, while simultaneously lighting his wand. "Can you hold this for a moment," Harry said, handing over his glowing wand.

"Er, Harry? That's just not done," she said, gently holding the strange wand while Harry pulled something out of his pack.

"What's not done?" he asked, as he buckled on a scabbard complete with sword.

"Letting someone else use your wand. It's just not done. A wand is such a part of a wizard or witch, that they usually feel very uncomfortable letting anyone else touch it."

"Oh. I'll remember that in the future," he said as he took back his wand. "It was down here a bit..." he said after they descended about half way to the docks.

"What was?"

"A secret passage. Ah, yes, see his crack? Goes all the way up here, this stone work, slightly different, was what gave it away when I passed the first time, and then it descends here. Now all we need do is find the opening mechanism."

Harry started searching the area, running his hands over the walls. Tonks tried a few unlocking spells, but nothing happened. She wasn't convinced it was an actual door.

"Ah ha!" Harry exclaimed, pulling a rock from the wall about chest level, about six feet from the door. Tonks looked into the opening, which revealed a metal bar with a handle attached. Harry grasped the handle and tried to move the bar. Nothing happened. He brought his hand back and showed it to Tonks - it was all red-orange.

"I was afraid of that when I grabbed it. Rust. It's probably rusted in place. Know any spells that would help this situation? Any lubrication spells?"

Tonks eyed him warily, "What are you implying?"

Harry looked clueless. "I'm not implying anything. I'm just trying to get this thing to move. I mean, I can put some oil here," He put action to words by coming up with a pump oil can and squirting some oil near where the bar disappeared into the rock. "But this thing is long, and I don't think oiling here will free up the mechanism."

"Lets try something. You keep oiling near the rock, and I'll banish the oil into the gap around the bar."

After using all of Harry's oil, they were about to give up when Harry gave it one more try. This time, the bar moved. Very slightly, but it moved. Harry shoved it a more times, but got nothing more from it.

"That was disappointing," he said, stepping back. "If we had some sort of passwall spell, or shape rock, we might be able to get the door open."

"How about this? _Alohamora!_" The bar moved again.

"What's that?"

"Unlocking spell. Not the most powerful spell, so when I tried it earlier, the bar was probably too rusted in place for the spell to work. But it seems to be working now, just not totally."

"Teach me."

Harry was a fast learning. He was very quick picking up new spells. The first year classes were so heavy on the theory and teaching (or to Harry's mind, tricking) the students into concentrating on the spells, that they seemed to move very slowly for Harry. He wasn't sure he wanted to continue in the classes, and was considering just hiring upper level students to teach him the spells. He learned Tonk's unlocking spell easily.

Together, they cast it repeatedly on the bar, which slowly slid within the confines of the rock gap. Finally, the handle was moved as far as it could go, and they went back to the door.

"Nothing's changed," Tonks complained.

"Maybe," Harry answered, pushing on the door. With a lot of grinding, the door opened.

Much like the staircase they were on, the corridor beyond the door appeared to be carved out of the rock. They followed it for a while heading both below Hogwarts, and deeper into the ground.

"Where are we?" Tonks wanted to know.

"I'd say we've spiraled completely around, and gone down several levels. I haven't seen any other hidden doors, but that's not unusual. We haven't reached the main area yet."

"How do you know?"

"You have to remember, underground complexes fall into one of two categories. Either they're natural, or created. If they're created, then they're created with a purpose. The simplest purpose is to get from point Alfa to point Beta. But more likely is someplace to live and/or work without being disturbed or even seen. Like here."

The corridor opened out into a large room that was too big for the small light of the wand.

"Hang on," Harry said, as they stopped in the doorway. "I'll grab a torch. Might not be enough, but it should give us more light."

However, at the last word, the room lit up by itself. Torches around the walls burst into flame illuminating the place.

Harry and Tonks looked around, wide eyed.

"I think they over did the badger motif," Harry commented.

Tonks hit him on the arm. "You prat! This must be Hufflepuff's Hideout - the secret rooms where she worked. It's said to have been lost since her daughter died; supposedly she never passed on the secret from her mum.

The room was round with a dome for a roof. Along the walls were four exits, Harry and Tonks standing near one with a bas relief of a badger coming out of a hole above the opening. Each of the other doors also had bas reliefs over them. The one to the left seemed to have a badger in glasses reading a book. To the right was a badger standing on its hind legs stirring a pot over a fire. And across the room the a badger stood in a fairy ring.

Harry commented, "I think I saw something like that in that book, _The Wind in the Willows._Shouldn't Mr. Toad be standing nearby in his dinner jacket?" Tonks punched his arm again.

The remains of a rug covered most of the floor. On it were piles of things that might have been furniture once upon a time, and everything was covered with dust. Harry wasn't sure if it was enough dust to be hundreds of years, but if this place wasn't very open to the outside world, there might not be a chance for the dust to come in.

The dome was painted like the sky as seen from the floor of a forest - blue with clouds but with trees and leaves in the way. In the middle of the dome was an opening, and right below it, in the middle of the room, was an open fireplace. The walls were brick, but the ceiling appeared to be tile with the sky painted on it. It wasn't a magic ceiling, like the Great Hall, but it was well done and looked impressive.

Tonks murmured, "That's strange."

"What, besides everything here?"

"Now that you mention it, there is a lot of strange things here. Like why is that cooking badger over there while the fireplace is here and that pile of stuff might be some pots and utensils in the remains of some sort of storage chest next to it. But what struck me is why that doorway across from us is the only one with an actual door."

"Don't know," Harry said, slightly distractedly, as he made notes on a piece of parchment. Tonks glanced at it, and it was a map of their journey with a circle representing the room they were in. Finished with the drawing, Harry quickly put the writing implements and map in some pockets that appeared designed for them.

"Which door first?" he asked.

"How about the reading badger. Want to bet it's a library?"

"But will there be any books left after a thousand years?"

Harry walked around the outskirts of the room. If there was a trap hidden beneath the remains of the rug, he would have trouble detecting it. They reached the opening and went in. Torches lit for them, presenting another room.

Tonks looked around. "Perhaps not a library, but a study." The furniture had survived a bit better in here, partially because the desk and shelves were made right from the bedrock, probably carved with magic. There were a dozen books on the shelves and the remains of a chair at the desk and possibly a bed or couch. Tonks carefully pulled a book off the shelf and opened it.

"A naturalist tome," Harry said, looking at the hand drawn pictures of leaves and plants. Harry looked at the writing.

"Woah, I know I'm bad at reading, but I can't make head or tail out of this. And it's not that I can't read the letters but these are different from other books I've seen."

"It's hand written, but neatly. The biggest problem is that it's written in Latin."

"Do you speak Latin?"

"Yes, since 3rd year when I took Ancient Runes. We magically learn the language. Still a pain, though. Literally. You get this magic book, very expensive, and as you read it, it puts the language into your brain. After about an hour, your head hurts so much that only the craziest Ravenclaws can keep reading. And you have to read it every day for months to get it to stick, as well as read and write the language at other times. You can do the same with other languages. I hear there are diplomats in the Ministry who know hundreds of languages."

"Impressive. So what does it say."

"A lot of description. Comments on what various parts are good for. Hmmm, like this plant can stop nightmares when seeped in hot water - ah a tea. I wouldn't think it would taste very good. Oh!"

"What?"

"It says here that it doesn't taste very good. My guess was right."

"What are the other books."

There were four books on plants and five bestiaries. She didn't differentiate between magical and non-magical animals. They included hand drawn pictures of the animals in various states of dissection, with notes on the efficacy of various animal parts for potion ingredients. There was no order to the entries that Tonks or Harry could determine.

The last three books appeared to be raw data; notes on attempts to use the animal and plant parts in potions. By accident, they recognized one of the animals, a bowtuckle.

"These appear to be Helga Hufflepuff's notes, and when she finished, she would clean them up and write them into the other books. The order is just the order of finishing her experiments."

"Shall we take these?" Harry asked.

"Oh yes! I don't know that there's anything she discovered that we don't know, but they're important historically."

"Fine." He pulled an empty bag from a pocket. "Spare Bag of Holding. Use it for 'group' treasure while Adventuring."

"Do you do much adventuring?" Tonks asked. As they made their way to the door with the cooking badger over it, Harry told Tonks about some of his adventures.

"So a 'naga' is a half snake, half woman monster?"

"Well, a lot less than half woman. Only the head is human. Evil things, though. And they cast spells. So Athalar and the naga get into a magical fight, and I sneak around and get a lucky bow shot right into the base of its skull. It convulses and dies. Athalar got a lot of kidding about being saved by a thirteen year old. That's where I got the 'group treasure' Bag of Holding, from the naga's treasure."

"Thirteen! Isn't that a bit young for that?"

"Yes. Yes it is. However, my master, Ranger Aratin, said he saw something in me, and started training me much earlier than most Rangers. Watch yourself."

Harry and Tonks reached the entrance to the "kitchen" door. However, it too, was different from expectations. Like the central room, it was circular but much smaller than the first room, and it had a cone shaped ceiling leading to a hole at the apex. There were several stone tables around the room, with holes and what appeared to be little metal ovens under them. There were the remains of wooden shelves, and a lot of broken glass all over the place. But the thing that excited Tonks was all the metal pots - cauldrons, really. There were fifteen cauldrons of various sizes. Most of them were decorated with badgers.

Harry picked up a middle sized one. "Helga Hufflepuff's chamber pot!"

"Oh, you prat! Pick them up. This was probably where she did her experiments on potion ingredients."

Harry collected the pots and a few metal instruments into the treasure bag.

Tonks led the way around the central room. "One more room. Wonder what we'll find there?"

"The actual badgers?" That reply got Harry a glare from Tonks. They reached the door and Harry waved Tonks off while he checked the door.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking for traps. Usually, you'd want a Thief for that sort of thing, but sometimes, like our current situation, you have to do without. So, unless you can tell me why this is the only actual door in the room, I'm going to assume that there's something valuable or something dangerous behind it. Maybe both. In either case, part of the defense may just be the door."

Harry did his best, but in the end, he wasn't a Thief. So, even though he found nothing out of place on the door, he slipped on a gauntlet and lifted the latch with his covered hand. He had Tonks well back as he opened the door.

Behind it was a corridor. About fifteen paces ahead there was another door. Magic torches lit in this corridor as the door opened.

"Well, that's a letdown," Harry said. He moved in slowly, every instinct warning him that this corridor, which looked a lot more natural than the one that led here, was dangerous in some way. As he walked, he would check each spot where he was going to place his foot, the walls, and the ceiling around him. Tonks rolled her eyes.

Half way to the next door, Tonks scrunched her face.

"Harry? Do you smell something?"

Harry stopped and sniffed. He nodded.

"Decay. I've been in enough monster lairs to recognize it. If you have to empty your stomach at what we find, don't worry; I won't think less of you. I've had to do it a number of times, myself. Sometimes the remains of the monster's dinners are just too disgusting. Just prepare yourself, alright?"

Tonks nodded, her imagination running over some of Harry's stories. He reached the next door, quickly checked it for traps, and opened it.

They were assaulted by the smell, but all they saw was blackness.

"Light!" Tonks called.

Nothing happened. The magic torch near the second door seemed to flicker. Tonks pulled it from it's sconce, and held it up as they entered the next room. Tonks cast a spell on herself, then on Harry. Instantly, the smell disappeared.

"Bubble headed charm. It will keep your head in a bubble of clean air. Will work underwater, too," she explained.

"Excellent. That's some smell. Wonder what's causing it?"

They walked forward, the light showing them a well defined path. To either side, the path angled down into dirt.

"Not a fairy ring, but an awful lot of mushrooms," Tonks said, looking over the dirt on either side.

The room was less a room and more a natural cavern. It seemed pretty large, to judge by the distance that the torchlight extended before begin swallowed up in the darkness without finding a wall.

The path seemed to meander through the cavern. Finally, there appeared to be something ahead. It was off to the right side of the path in an area where the path was hugging the left wall. As they got close, Harry realized that the shape they could barely make out in the torchlight was a huge pile of refuse. Harry could recognize carrot scrapings, potato peels, bits of pumpkin.

They stood side by side looking at the pile that stretched up towards an unseen ceiling.

"I wasn't thinking before," Harry said. "Why would there be something disgusting in the lair's garbage pit if the lair has been abandoned for most of a thousand years."

"Yeah. But who would have thought that the garbage from the castle would be dropped down a deep, dark hole. I bet even the kitchen staff doesn't know where it goes."

Harry laughed.

"What?"

He pointed at the fungus that ruled most of the floor. "The mushrooms. It's all about the mushrooms. The garbage, the picture over the door - nothing really symbolic about that one."

"But why?"

"Don't know. We may never know. Could be she was starting an examination of mushrooms and their potion properties. Or maybe she just liked mushrooms. Maybe she has something about it in her notebooks. We'll have to check it out later. Let's get out of here."

They left. Harry was going to make a big production of going out to the fire pit, but Tonks just rolled her eyes and walked out.

"Nothing else here has been part of some monster's lair, why would there be any traps here?"

There wasn't anything unique or collectible there, and they left.

Harry kept one of the badger cauldrons for himself, and turned over the rest of the 'loot' to Tonks. She was going to look over the books, determine their worth, and eventually turn them over, along with the knowledge of the secret rooms, to Professor Sprout.

"Thank you for an interesting adventure," Harry said, as they parted company in the Common Room.

"And thank you. No vampires, though. Disappointed?" She said, pinching his chain mail shirt.

Harry smiled. "No. Sometimes it's just nice to find something interesting without fighting for my life."

"What a strange world you came from."

Harry shrugged. "It's home. This one is the strange one."


	5. When Holidays Attack

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter; She Who Cannot Be Named does. I make no money from this story. No trolls were hurt in the production of this chapter and all troll scenes were supervised by the Royal Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Trolls. Soylent Green is made of people! The title comes from one of the Sluggy Freelance books, and is also used without permission, but has no other relationship with the on-line comic.

**Note: **Re-uploaded to fix some mistakes. No story change. Uploaded on 1-23-2012.

**Chapter 5**  
><strong>When Holidays Attack<strong>

A couple of weeks into the term the Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaw first years had a flying lesson. Harry heard that one boy had been injured in the Gryffindor-Slytherin lesson, but Neville Longbottom, the boy everyone said broke his wrist, was at dinner that night and was not bandaged, so he discounted the story.

The brooms actually did fly. Harry knew that there were flying brooms in his world, but they were rare, and usually used by those magic users called witches. They were, as a rule, ugly - rumor had it that they sacrificed their looks for power, but he didn't know the truth, so he remained silent on the issue. He was still getting used to the children being called witches and wizards. "Wizard," too, was a term that had a specific meaning on his world. It didn't mean just any male magic user. He sighed.

The broom did jump to his hand, and despite seeing some of the other children taking to the sky, and (he admitted) his own ability, he did not like riding the thing at first. It was uncomfortable and went too fast. He wanted to say it was awkward to ride, but that wouldn't actually be true. Upon reflection, he decided that his upbringing, and associating the magic item with ugly, magic using women, made him prejudiced against the things. There were several more lessons, and he got used to flying. In the end, he decided that it would be very useful to have a flying broom back in his own world. But he wasn't going to advertise it, once it happened.

ADND

It was Halloween. Harry thought it beyond coincidence that the two worlds seemed to have a common history up to about the year 400 or so, a common calendar, common languages, and finally, a common holiday with similar connotations. The collapse of the Roman Empire to orcs made his world different, though.

Harry wore his boiled leather armor under his school robes, along with his usual compliment of weapons. Tonks noticed the bulge from the sword's scabbard as they met up to go to the Feast.

"Why so dressed up?" she asked quietly, knocking the scabbard under the robes.

"Experience. Where I come from, this is a particularly powerful day for Evil. Demons and devils are more easily summoned; lots of dark rituals have the requirement that they be done on one of the feasts of Evil, which include today; and just one year ago today, my friend Dendreg and I were fighting for our lives in some caves beneath the north Pillar of Hercules as we tried to destroy the Iron Flask of Tuerny the Merciless. A lot of Druids and Fighters died in that battle."

"That's awful."

"Yeah. I think Dendreg lost his chance to become one of the leading Druids after he let out his feelings for the Great Druid's leadership in that affair. Politics - it rears its ugly head even where you don't expect."

Harry frowned as they entered the decorated Great Hall "They make a joke of it, but I don't find it funny at all," he explained to her concerned look.

"At least here you aren't fighting for your life," she answered quietly. He nodded at her, but his expression remained grim.

He was almost ready to accept that the holiday was harmless on this world when the feast was interrupted by their ineffective Defense instructor running in and warning about a troll. As Tonks and the other 'Puff prefects prepared to take their house to the basement, Tonks came over to him.

"There's a Gryffindor girl in the second floor bathroom. She doesn't know about the troll."

The 'Puffs reached the Entrance Hall and were heading downstairs, while the Slytherins were heading to their own stairs and the other two houses were heading up.

"Let's go warn her, then I can join in the hunt for the troll."

"Why...?"

"Because I've done this before," he said. "The more people against a troll, the better the odds. They are extremely difficult to kill, and can be difficult to keep dead."

"Huh?"

They made their way up the stairs with the Gryffs and 'Claws, then breaking away to head into the castle interior rather than following the crowd.

"Trolls regenerate. They heal as you watch, except for fire damage. If you don't burn all the parts, they can regenerate from a finger! When they're part of a group, you don't always have time to burn all the parts and you can end up fighting the troll several times."

"I'm not sure that information is accurate. Wait, someone's coming."

They were now on the second floor, and footsteps were coming closer along an intersecting corridor.

Harry stopped, drew his sword, and had his knife in his left hand. A figure in black appeared from the other corridor.

"Potter! What are you doing out of your common room? Fifty points from Hufflepuff! Now get back to where you belong!"

"There's a missing child in the bathroom up here. Why aren't you fighting the troll in the dungeon?"

Snape seemed to pause in what he was about to say. "I have my own job to do. Get the student and get back to the common room. If I find out you lied, you will be expelled! And your girlfriend, too!"

With that, Snape turned and continued on his way. Harry just shrugged and went on his way, following Tonk's directions.

"How'd you know there's someone in the girl's loo anyway?"

"I heard her crying. Someone was mean to her, and I guess she got upset. I was going to check on her later. Sometimes you just have to let them cry themselves out."

"Here," Harry said, handing Tonks the knife. "It's my only enchanted weapon. The magic sword my master gave me is hopefully in Dendreg's keeping. The troll won't be able to heal from that. Only problem is, it doesn't do much damage."

Suddenly, they smelled something.

"Ewww," Harry complained. "Like a cheese long since gone to its maker."

"This is bad," Tonks said. "Trolls are notorious for their smell."

"Where's the loo?"

"Up there, see where the troll just went through the door? That's it."

There was a scream.

"That was no troll," Harry said, breaking into a run. He held his sword in one hand and his other was digging in his bag.

"Then what the hell is it?" Tonks yelled after him, also running. Harry disappeared through the door as a crash was heard.

Harry had been reaching for a torch before he saw what he was facing. He pulled something else out, something he had been hoping to have a chance to use in a battle since he had gotten it. He just never had the chance. He came into the bathroom to see the ogre, for that's what it looked like to him, destroy a group of stalls with a very large club. Swinging his sword, it cut into the back of the ogre's leg. But this ogre (or this world's troll) had very thick skin, and he caused a lot less damage than he hoped. It was no more than a thorn might have done to him. The 'troll' didn't even seem to feel it.

He drew back his arm and lunged with all his might, driving the sword deep into it's thigh. He pulled the sword out, as the creature turned around. Harry stabbed again, this time into it's stomach. That caused a growl/howl of pain from the monster. It swung it's club, and Harry had to dodge. He moved in close again, but didn't stab; instead he placed the half meter long metal rod he held in left hand very close to the troll's right ankle above the foot and pressed the button. The rod stayed in place, floating in mid air, perfectly still. Harry leaped back, avoiding the club again.

He noticed some red beams of light hitting the troll from behind him, but didn't take his eyes off the monster to see what was going on there. The troll tried to advance on him, but when it's leg encountered the set Rod of Immobility, it lost its balance and fell forward. There was a snap as its ankle broke, but Harry wasn't going to give it another chance to hurt anyone. He leaped on it's back and stabbed it with both hands on the sword. The blade entered the back and disappeared almost to the hand guard. Harry's aim was true and he struck its heart. The thing barely shuddered as it died.

Harry retrieved the Rod of Immobility, and walked over to where Tonks was already comforting the girl. She was the one he met on train who seemed so skeptical of everything. He had her in Herbology, too; she seemed a bit, er, overeager to please the teachers. Granger, was her name.

As Tonks directed the girl around the corpse, she asked Harry, "What did you mean, thats not a troll? It most certainly is. We've studied them in Care of Magical Creatures."

Harry shrugged, cleaning off his sword with a towel. "It's not the sort of troll I've fought before. It's more like an ogre, although slower. This must be your world's troll."

Hermione looked at him. "Our world? Your world? You don't come from this world? What other world is there?"

"He's spent years in some sort of other-world," Tonks answered. "Just don't spread that around."

"That's why you can't read! They must have a completely different language, and probably writing system there! That's funny. You don't sound foreign."

"Nothing that fancy," Harry told the girl, thinking that at least she wasn't crying any more. "The worlds seem to have a lot of history in common. But a lot of things are very different. Trolls, I guess, are just one of the differences."

They were interrupted by several professors, including Snape and McGonagall.

"So, it appears you were telling the truth," Snape sneered. Harry just rolled his eyes.

"What is going on here?" McGonagall demanded.

"We were just rescuing your student from a troll, as we explained to Professor Snape when we encountered him before. She wasn't at the feast, so we thought we should get her," Tonks explained.

"Since no one bothered to take roll call before sending the students off," Harry added. "It was luck that let us know that Miss Granger was here. If there were other students not at the feast, you may want to search for them or their bodies, if they encountered the troll." Harry wasn't too happy with how things had happened. Granger would have been dead had he not come along. Even these teachers were far too late.

"So, Professor, do you make Extra-healing Potion from troll blood here, too?"

"I have no idea what you're blathering about, Potter."

"Then never mind. We'll escort Miss Granger back to her tower, and you can clean up the body."

"What body?" McGonagall asked quickly with a concerned look on her face.

"The troll," Tonks answered. "It's in the girl's loo down there," she pointed down the corridor, and walked away with Harry and Hermione Granger.

The professors watched the students walk away, stunned, then they hurried into the girl's bathroom.

Meanwhile, Tonks and Harry kept their expressions neutral until they were around a corner, then Tonks broke out in laughs, which soon had Harry joining her.

"What?" Hermione wanted to know. "What are you laughing at?"

"Imagining their faces when they find the troll," Tonks said.

"Also it's fun to tweak the noses of people in power," Harry chuckled.

"What do you mean?"

"By pointing out their mistake of not taking a roll call or something to make sure everyone was accounted for, they left you in danger. Harry essentially told them that they didn't do their job well, and, once they find the body, that he had to go out of his way to do it for them. They'll know that he knows that they screwed up."

"But they're teachers," Granger muttered, seemingly to herself. "They aren't supposed to make mistakes," she said, louder.

Harry said, "They're people, Miss Granger. People, even teachers, make mistakes. Listen to them, because they have more experience, but don't take everything they say as correct. It sometimes isn't, and you have to use your own mind; which, from what I've seen, is pretty good.

"But you might not want to try to answer every question. Sure, _you_know the answer, but give others a chance, and you won't seem to be sucking up to the teachers."

"But... we're supposed to answer the questions."

They discussed classroom etiquette, student reactions to 'know it alls', and tips on how to make friends as they made their way to the Gryffindor tower.

As they neared the entrance, Hermione said, "Thank you for saving me. I haven't been that scared since we found that three headed dog."

"What three headed dog?" Tonks wanted to know.

Hermione seemed to realize that she just said something she shouldn't, and tried to change the subject, but Tonks wouldn't let her. Finally, she answered, "The one in the corridor on the third floor that we're not supposed to go in." She then explained about Ron Weasley being tricked by Malfoy into going out after curfew and she went along to keep him out of trouble; how they escaped Filch on the third floor, and that's where she had encountered the the three headed dog.

"Why would they keep something like that here?" Harry wondered.

"It was guarding a trap door," Hermione supplied.

Harry thought for a moment, and nodded. "That sort of makes sense. But don't spread that information around. We don't need students trying to see the three headed dog.

"Good night, Miss Granger."

"Hermione. And thank you, Mr. Ranger."

"You can call me Harry."

"Good night, Harry."

As Tonks and he made their way back to the basement, she teased him.

"You like them young?"

"Huh, 'girlfriend'?"

"Prat."

ADND ADND

Hermione, not having been told to keep her adventure a secret, didn't. Rumors abounded about how Harry Potter, or Ranger, killed the troll. Harry (and Tonks, taking her clue from him) didn't answer any questions about the incident, but the Hufflepuff House total went up about thirty points that night. Harry when asked by Tonks, didn't think the fight was worth mentioning.

Harry for his part, seemed to do less and less work on his classes, and asked, cajoled, begged, and pleaded for anyone in any year in Hufflepuff to teach him more spells. To say he was weak in the theory would be an understatement but his spells were powerful and accurate and he picked them up quickly. He even skimped on reading and writing practice in favor of more practical spell casting.

It was nearing the end of November when Tonks confronted him with his failings.

"Harry, the other first years are saying you're failing your classes. That doesn't make any sense! You're a fantastic wizard!"

"I may be a wizard, but I admit I'm no scholar. To be honest, Tonks, I don't like it here. I want to get out, go for a hike in the woods, live off the land. If I can learn all the magic, I'll be out of here quicker."

"I don't know what to say. I think you have a fine mind and are wasting it. And I'm sad that you just want to leave, because I think of you as a good friend, but I understand you're homesick. I'm just sorry that when you go, it will be so _permanent_."

"I have made a few friends here. However, being six years older than the rest of my classmates does put a bit of difficulty in becoming good friends with them."

With Tonk's encouragement, Harry started doing better in his formal classes. He still spent as much time as possible learning higher level spells.

The first weekend of December brought with it a Hogsmeade visit. The previous Hogsmeade visit in October had coincided with a number of tutoring sessions that Dumbledore set up to try to help him acclimatize himself to class, as he obviously wasn't used to 'formal' education. Dumbeldore tried to do the same this this weekend, but Harry refused, and nothing Dumbledore could say would change Harry's mind.

Harry, and the other other seventh year 'Puffs went into town together. The place seemed somewhat reminiscent of Blue Mountain. But only some. Then Harry put his finger on it.

Manufacturing.

In his world, everything was made by hand. The bottles of wine they sometimes got in the pub from Gaul were all hand blown and every one, while fairly similar, was unique. The beams in the ceiling of the Three Broomsticks were all straight as could be. The ones in McGinty's place were hand cut and rough, and while overall straight, no one could say that any of the surfaces were flat. The plates were round and white as the moon, the silverware was all exactly alike. The sameness of all the bits and pieces of the town was unnerving.

At least in the castle, the walls were mostly stone; and, no matter how you search, each stone is unique. And yes, the plates and silverware in Hogwarts was all the same, it just wasn't part of a larger pattern, and hadn't overwhelmed him. After lunch, Harry excused himself from the crowd and headed back towards the Castle. Tonks caught up with him before he left the town.

"Something we said, Harry?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"Did we drive you away with something we said?"

"No. It's just...I think I realized that I'll never be really comfortable in this world. I suddenly felt, I don't know, like I had to get away. You can go back with your friends, Tonks. You don't have to keep me company. I'm not an outcast because the group wants me gone. I just needed some alone time."

"If you're sure...?"

"I'm sure. Go, have fun."

Tonks went back to the town.

It was about a kilometer and a half from the castle to Hogsmeade. Hogsmeade was on the eastern side of the Black Lake while Hogwarts was on the north. About a third of the way between them was the train station and service building; this was the end of the line for the Express.

The Forbidden Forest stretched along the western side of the lake and circled around the castle, with a bit of it closing in on the north eastern part of the town. Harry left the road between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, went between the train maintenance buildings, and started walking through the woods. He took time to get his sword out of his Bag. His magic knife was already strapped to his forearm.

He was enjoying the mid December weather when he came across some silvery liquid on a leaf. It reminded him of quicksilver, so he didn't taste it, knowing the alchemetical ingredient was poisonous. He was near an animal path and started following that until he found another drop. Soon, he was sure he was following a wounded animal. He had no idea what sort of animal had silver blood, though. The afternoon wore on and he was enjoying himself - making note of landmarks, various herbs and plants, and tracking.

He came to the conclusion that he was following a horse of some sort. He had found the unshod hoof marks.

Finally, he found his quarry - a unicorn. Harry was pretty certain that the unicorns on his world didn't have silvery blood. As he came upon the horse-like creature, it ran away.

Harry found a nearby tree with a branch he could sit on. He began his meditations on Mother Nature and on his needs. After a while, he hopped down, and began his tracking in earnest.

Harry moved swiftly and silently through the forest until he could see the unicorn. Taking a sprig of mistletoe, he cast the spell he had prepared: Speak with Animals. He then approached the unicorn.

From the conversation, Harry learned of the evil that was attacking the unicorns. Unfortunately, the animal didn't know what it was. But Harry did learn a number of things about the forest, including information on the Centaurs and the giant spiders, and the herd of flying dragon-horses. He bandaged the animal as well as he could, and let it go. If there was some evil creature feeding on unicorns, the wounded one would probably die at the next encounter. To his surprise, the unicorn followed him, even though the connection between them forged by the spell had dissipated.

Harry checked the quickly descending sun to get his bearings, and made his way towards Hogwarts. He exited the forest near Hagrid's hut.

The giant was was digging up carrots from his garden when Harry appeared.

"Hey now! You shouldn't be going in there. The forest is off limits," he told Harry. Then he saw Harry's companion.

"Blimy! You've got a unicorn following you!"

"Yes, he followed me home. Can I keep him?"

"You can't just keep a unicorn," Hagrid said.

"Don't I know! But it was hurt. I bandaged it as best I could, but I didn't expect it to follow me."

"What I don't understand is how yer got close enough to bandage it. I could figure it if'n it were a lot more hurt and couldn't run away, but this one don't look too bad."

"It's a nasty looking wound. Knife cut I'd say."

Hagrid moved towards the unicorn which tried to hide behind Harry. That was rather comical, Harry thought, as the creature was taller and probably weighed three or more times what the Ranger did. Harry gently talked to it, using the soothing voice that good animal handlers have with their charges, and soon the giant was pressing an herb soaked cloth to the cut on its flank. Harry replaced the bandage he had wrapped around the animal, and Hagrid led it to the Thestral paddock in the woods. The animal settled down in some fresh hay, and Hagrid invited Harry back to his hut for some tea.

Harry had been outside all afternoon, and the fire and tea felt good.

"So tell me, Hagrid, how long has the black shape been stalking unicorns?"

"The first one were in September. The next time was in October; a week or so before All Hallows. Then mid November, and finally this one a few days ago. Never saw what attacked them, though. How do you know it was black?"

"The unicorn told me. He couldn't give a very good description of it though. He was almost out of his head with fear, he says."

"You can talk to unicorns?"

"I know a spell..."

"Damn useful one, I'd say. Can you teach me?"

"I don't think so. It was a spell from the place I was raised. You have to sort of meditate and commune with the Earth to prepare, and then there's some hand motions, a bit of chanting, and a bit of mistletoe is used up. Then you can only talk for a few minutes. It also makes the animal friendly towards you, so it won't attack while you talk. In this case, it seems that unicorn stayed friendly towards me."

"Well, it realized you were trying to help it. Felt safe around you."

"Good thing I've had some training with horses, otherwise I wouldn't have felt safe around it."

The talk moved away from unicorns. They spoke of the forest itself, the Centaurs and giant spiders who lived in it, and Hagrid's garden.

At one point, as the conversation waned, Harry asked, "What do you know about three headed dogs?"

Hagrid's eyes widened and a shocked look appeared on his face.

"Why are you asking that?"

"Because a first year encountered one in the castle. I want to know how dangerous they are, and if I need to do something to protect the children in the castle."

"Fluffy wouldn't hurt nobody. He's really a gentle feller. Pretty good barker, which is to be expected with three heads."

"But he's in there guarding something in a hallway that the Headmaster said would be painful death if anyone were to enter. So, wither Fluffy would deal out painful death, or the thing he's guarding would. Which is it?"

"Well, we each provided something to trap the way."

"Who 'each'?"

"Each of the teachers, of course. McGonagall, Flitwick, Snape, Quirrell, Sprout, me - we each provided some protection. Fluffy's mine. Course, he has to be kept locked up in that room. Hate to see it. . . ."

"I can imagine. So the traps will lead to painful deaths? Or is there some demon or something trapped in the castle that they're keeping people away from?"

"Naw, nothing like that. It's just to keep people away from Flamels'... I shouldn't have said that. You're trying to get me to tell you somet'in' that you shouldn't know. So just forget it!"

"Alright! Sorry I asked. It's just that whole 'painful death' thing has been playing on my mind."

"Well don't you worry about it none. Dumbledore has it all in hand. Great man, that Dumbledore."

"Certainly seems to be a powerful wizard."

"Aye, that he is. That he is."

They said goodnight soon after that.

That evening, Harry sat with Tonks and the seven years eating dinner. During a lull in the the conversation, Harry asked, "Is there anyone here at Hogwarts named Flamel?"

"No," Catherine Anstruther answered. "The only Flamel I know of is the alchemist."

"Does he live around here?"

"No one knows," a short boy named Brown answered. "He's been mostly a recluse for hundreds of years. 'Course, somehow Dumbledore became his apprentice for a while."

"Wait a moment. Go back to the 'hundreds of years.' How can he live that long?"

"He's the only one to ever create a Philosopher's Stone. Rumor has it, Dumbledore and Flamel broke up over Flamel's refusal to tell Dumbledore how he did it."

"But the Philosopher's Stone can make you live a long time?"

"It produces the Elixir of Life. As long as you keep drinking it, you stay healthy."

"Amazing. I'm surprised more people haven't figured it out," Harry mused.

"Loads of people have tried. It's just that only Flamel has succeeded."

The conversation soon changed course, but Harry was left with a lot to consider.

ADND ADND ADND

"I cannot wait until Saturday!" Tonks said Wednesday morning. "We get to go home and I will sleep for twenty four hours straight!"

Harry, like Tonks, had end of term tests. The difference was he didn't care how well he did. He wasn't trying to fail, he just wasn't going to spend a lot of time reviewing. He would find out that he had retained a lot he heard in class; his memory was pretty good. What would bring his grades down was anything that was only covered in the books.

"Many tests on Friday?" Harry asked her, as they made their way to breakfast.

"Friday is _the_worst day. Have History, Herbology, and Potions. Luckily, although we usually have Defense on Fridays, too, we had the test yesterday."

"Bummer. I only have History Friday. Want to do something to let off steam after dinner Friday?"

"Sure, what did you have in mind? Exploration of another founder's private rooms?"

"Not exactly. But I expect that it will be a bit more dangerous than that."

Tonks wasn't sure she liked the sound of that. However, even after all the talk of vampires before the last adventure they had, there hadn't been anything dangerous, so she agreed to join him.

Thursday evening, Harry and Umbriago (he had to call the unicorn _something_) went out hunting. Harry took out a deer by bow, and using a combination of magic and a knife, he gutted and drained it, trussed it up, and floated it back to Hogwarts. A preservation charm and a Notice Me Not in an abandoned classroom later, and Harry was off to bed.

Friday came, and the students were quite excited by dinner time, with the fall session done and most leaving for Christmas the next day on the Express. Tonks wanted to discuss the evening's activities, but Harry indicated that he didn't want to talk publicly. Tonks hoped he wanted some alone time to do what boys and girls do when they're alone. She liked Harry, and was starting to doubt herself because he wasn't coming on to her. She considered using her special ability to 'enhance' herself, but she had kept it secret so far, and intended to leave it that way.

Once the feast was over, Harry asked Tonks to meet him at the base of the Central Staircases, as he had to get something first. She was boiling with curiosity as she waited, watching seven stories worth of staircases moving around above her. The Central Staircases was a room that extended from the ground floor all the way up the castle. Only the towers extended above the seventh floor. The walls were covered in moving pictures and portraits that would talk to the students as they got close.

It wasn't long, even to the expectantly waiting Tonks, before Harry reappeared. The only thing Tonks noticed was that he was out of his robes, which wasn't against the rules outside the Great Hall and classrooms, and he wore his sword.

"Are we going to get in trouble for this?"

"Maybe. To be honest, this is against the rules."

"What are we doing? Going down the third floor corridor?"

"Yup."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Nope."

"You've got to be kidding..."

"Tonks, I'm very serious. I think I know what's hidden there, and I want it out of the castle as soon as possible."

"But the painful death part?"

"Can't help that; but from what I know of Dumbledore, he was exaggerating."

"How can you say that?"

"He kept insisting that Hogwarts is the safest place in magical Britain when he was trying to convince me to come here. Unless he was blatantly lying then, the traps on the third floor aren't going to be deadly; just damaging. So, all we have to do is be better than whoever set up the traps."

"That would be Dumbledore."

"No. The first one was set up by Hagrid. My guess is that the others will be set up by various teachers."

"And you think we can beat the traps set up by the people who teach us everything we know? They haven't taught us everything they know."

"We can, at least, try it out."

They reached the third floor corridor and quietly walked down it, checking various doors along the way. They found classrooms and closets, but it wasn't until the end that they found the locked door. Harry reached into his pack, which was slung over one shoulder, and pulled out a small package.

"Wait here, please," he said as he unshrunk the package. It was a white sack, which when opened revealed three chunks of meat, some with brown fur still on it.

"Shhh!" he quieted her before casting the unlocking spell and looking through a crack in the door.

He gathered the meat, opened the door, and tossed it in.

"Here boy. And you. And one for you. Good doggy."

ADND ADND ADND ADND

Albus Dumbledore was sitting at his desk in his office when one of the silvery instruments in his office jangled. It had rung the first week of school when some Gryffindors had looked into the room with Hagrid's pet. This time, the sound indicated that Harry Potter was checking the third floor corridor. Good!

He was expecting the delivery of a magic mirror any day now. The Mirror would be the final problem, one that Voldemort would be unable to solve. The rest of the puzzles were mainly there to give Harry a sense of accomplishment and slow down Voldemort when he finally came for the Stone.

He sat there, imagining Harry using fire and light to get past the Devil's Snare. The keys would make use of his flying ability; according to Madam Hootch, he had done well in his broom class. He wasn't sure of the chess set. If it stopped Harry, there was still time for him to find a chess playing friend. Ahh, Minerva - while it was a fantastic bit of spell work, it didn't really play a very good game of chess. The makers of Wizarding Chess sets were usually masters of the game.

The troll bothered him. Harry had already killed one troll. He hoped that he wouldn't kill the guardian.

Oh, well, Harry shouldn't get that far tonight.

Dumbledore smiled again. It was very brazen to attempt this in the evening before curfew. Almost Gryffindorish, he thought, as he smirked in the direction of the Sorting Hat, sitting on a shelf in the room. Then he frowned. It didn't matter how right he was, the Hat had spoken and their savior was in Hufflepuff. There had to be some way to fix that.

At least it wasn't Slytherin.

Dumbledore took out the book that he had intended to read that evening, and sat back to do so, knowing that everything was going according to plan.

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

Tonks entered the room to see one of Fluffy's heads gnawing at one of the chunks of deer that Harry had provided them. The other two heads were asleep.

"What happened?"

"I drugged the meat. Easier that way. Most any dog will take food when it's hungry; a well trained one will still attack a stranger once it's eaten. No such problem now. Now what is under that trap door?" he asked, as the last head fell asleep. They had to push a large paw off it to get it open, but once they did, all it showed was a dark pit.

"Lumos!" Harry stuck his wand into the opening, revealing some sort of large, vegetable mass three or four meters below them. It writhed a bit in the light. He retrieved a rope from the bag, which he handed to Tonks, and kept searching for something in his bag. He pulled his arm out, holding the metal bar he had used while fighting the troll.

"What is that thing?"

"A Rod of Immobility. Once it's activated, it won't move, no matter what." He tied the rope to it, held it just below floor level in the hole, and touched the rune button on one end to activate it. He let go, and the rod stayed in place, held by nothing. Dropping the rope into the hole, he asked, "How are you on climbing?"

"I don't know. I've never tried."

"Think you can slide down the rope?"

"I think so."

"Then put these on to protect your hands, and wait until I'm down, then follow." He handed her some leather gloves while she agreed to his plan.

Harry slid into the hole feet first, sort of sliding over the rod. Once he was mostly in, he grabbed it with his hands, and wrapped his legs around the rope. He climbed down, hand over hand, until he neared the plant. At that point, he started arching his body, causing the rope to swing. Once his swing was past the edge of the plant, he dropped the rest of the way to the floor. Grabbing the rope, he held it away from the plant, and called up to Tonks.

"Your turn. I'll anchor it over here so you can just slide past the plant."

She was a lot less graceful getting on the rope, but once holding on, she slid down without problems.

"Excellent job. Two traps down. Let's see what's next."

What was next was a room full of flying keys and a door spelled against unlocking charms.

"I guess we have to fly up and get the right key," Tonks said.

"Or, we could see if we can unlock the door another way."

Harry had pulled a large ring of keys from his magic bag. "I sort of collect these. Could be because I was locked up so much as a child." He was quickly flipping though them, trying one now and then.

"The thing about most skeleton key locks is they are large bulky things that don't need an exact match on the key. Even fancy locks can be really stupidly built. There was one lock I ran into that was designed to fit an ornately carved smoking pipe. It wasn't designed to go in like this," he explained, inserting a key into the lock and not able to turn it, "but into an indentation this way," he put the key flat against the door. "All we needed to do was get a good grip on the indentation and turn." Two more keys were tried, and the second turned. There was a loud click, and the door opened.

The two teenagers found themselves facing a huge chessboard.

"Play chess?" Tonks asked. Harry shook his head while Tonks said, "Me, neither."

"Looks like we have to to get to the door over there," Harry pointed beyond the board. He looked at the board. They were on the White side, the pieces looking away from them. The chess board itself filled the center of the room with beautifully carved pieces towering over them, looking even larger because they were in the "captured pieces" area, which was lower than the board and covered with green felt. The area went all the way around the board. Harry looked at it and thought a minute.

Harry asked, "Er, what do you think would happen if we ran around the outside?"

"They'd probably attack us."

"Want to test it?"

"No."

"Then wait here a moment." He started moving along the felt lined area, only about a meter and a half wide, along the sides. The chess pieces ignored him. He walked all the way to within a few arm lengths from the door before the queen turned towards him and raised her sword. He ran back the way he came. Again, the pieces ignored him.

"Only one who seems to protect the door is the queen. Want to chance it?"

"Is that a real sword she's carrying?"

"Yes, but she's made out stone, and didn't seem to move very quickly." He reached in his bag and pulled out a metal shod wooden rod with an iron ball at the end.

"And I'll be ready for her," he said with a smile, hefting the mace.

"You're crazy. You do realize that, don't you?"

He just gave her a lopsided grin, and headed down the path beside the chessboard. Unfortunately, the queen had left the board and was standing between them and the door.

"New plan," he said quietly. "I'll lead her back towards me, while you go around the other side."

"What if one of the other pieces attacks _me_?"

"Retreat, and I'll meet you back at door into this room. Don't get hurt."

"You better believe it."

She walked quickly back to the starting side and Harry advanced on the queen. She stood in front of him, a few paces from the door blocking him. She didn't move while Harry moved towards her. He tried to dodge around the giant game piece, but she moved the minimum to stay in his way. She held the sword in front of her, like she was saluting, not attacking.

Harry wasn't disappointed that she didn't act like a live person - she didn't follow him as he retreated a few steps and she didn't attack, which might have allowed him to maneuver her to one side and make a break for it. He was a little reluctant to commit to fight her. He was sure he could take one living statue but if the whole board came to her defense - well, that might lead to that "painful death" that Dumbledore spoke about.

Tonks reached the other corner, and Harry started getting concerned that he could be trapped on this side of the queen away from the door if things didn't change.

One thing that can be guaranteed is that things do change. As Tonks passed the king's knight on the other side of the board, the castle hopped off the board, blocking her escape while the the knight and bishop started turning towards her.

"Run for the door!" Harry yelled, as he jumped so his left leg was on the chess board and pushed off towards the queen. Yes, she had her sword up, but it wasn't ready to swing. She drew it back to attack Harry, and he smashed into her upper torso with his body. She was tall and thin and being hit high caused her to lose balance. She fell backwards, as Harry kept his mace braced against the sword, and followed her down. Leaping off the chess piece at the last moment, he ran towards the door where Tonks was already opening it. He pushed her through and pulled it closed behind him.

"Bloody vikings!" Harry cursed, as he saw the situation in the new room.

Tonks' looked and mumbled, "What you said." Across the room a troll started to get to its feet.

"Lets run," Harry suggested and started running for the next door. Tonks ran with him.

Unfortunately, trolls, being larger than people, have longer legs. And while mentally slower, once they do start moving those legs, they can reach respectable speeds.

"Go for the door," he told her, as he veered away from her towards the guardian of this room.

Luckily, this creature reacted as Harry hoped, and changed course to attack Harry.

Harry watched carefully as the troll ran up to him and put the momentum of his run into a downward swing of his club. Once the swing was committed, Harry was able to sidestep it.

Momentum kept the club going the same direction it had been, as well as the running troll. About the same time the club hit the ground the troll passed Harry. He swung the mace two handed and landed a smashing blow against the troll's knee. The creature howled and growled, but did fall to the ground. Harry swung again, and hit it on the head. He pulled his blow, and was rewarded by the troll lying on the ground but still breathing.

"Did you kill it," Tonks asked, from her position by the door.

"No. But no telling how long it will be out. Why didn't you go ahead?"

"After seeing what was in this room, if there was something half as bad in the next room, I don't want to face it alone.

"Alright. Let's go face the future."

They walked into the next room, which was bare except for a table with some little bottles on it. As they went to examine them, the walls with the doors, both ahead and behind them, there were now flames - black flames ahead, and purple ones behind.

"Some sort of riddle to get past the fire," Tonks said, reading the paper on the table. Harry, meanwhile, was rooting around in his bag. He pulled some cloth out.

"I have got to get me one of those bags," Tonks said, looking at it quizzically. "What's that?"

"Holocaust cloak. Impervious to most fires. Not actually that useful, because it isn't protection against dragon fire or fire elementals. But it should work here."

"We're going to wear that across the fire?"

"No, wouldn't help. The fire is coming through the floor. Impressive bit of magic, that is. No, what we do is get near the door," he put action to words and walked over to the door opposite the one they came in, "and put the cloak over the fire." The fire didn't come through the cloak, and Harry and Tonks walked over it to the space near the door which opened without problems. Harry picked the cloak up after they were off it.

The next room was larger than the chess room, and at least as large as the one the troll was stationed in. Harry and Tonks looked around as the magical torches lit the room in response to someone entering.

Harry couldn't see everywhere, there were pillars holding up the ceiling blocking his view, but from his vantage point, there were no other exits from the room. It was shaped a little like an amphitheater, with steps leading down to the center. Harry went down the steps. There was a block that could have been a podium in the middle of the lowest part of the room.

"Alright, we're here, we're alive, at least currently, what are we _doing _here?" Tonks demanded.

"We are looking for Nicholas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone. I want it out of the school, and I want it gone _now!" _Tonk's was surprised at the anger in Harry's voice.

"Philosopher's Stone? You mean _the_ Philosopher's Stone? What the heck is it doing here?"

"I'm not sure, but I think it's bait."

"Bait?"

"Whatever is out there killing unicorns for their blood can probably use the Elixir of Life to keep itself alive.

"But putting it in a building full of students? That's just evil. Which is why the Headmaster doesn't have my trust. If that thing that's attacking the unicorns gets in here... Let's just say that anything that can kill unicorns would have no problem killing children. That's why I want it out of here."

While Harry had been talking he had been checking out the "podium" block. It wasn't actually a block, but a number of well cut and fitted stones about the size and shape of bricks. They, and the mortar holding them together, were the same color gray. Harry had attached the mace to his belt and was poking at the blocks with his knife.

"Let me try," Tonks said, pulling out her wand. "We are, after all, a witch and a wizard."

She started waving her wand in various patterns. But whatever she did, nothing happened.

"Let's check the rest of the room," Harry said. "It wouldn't necessarily be in the center of attention."

A half hour later, Harry was back at the podium. The search of the rest of the room had been fruitless. He couldn't get over the way the podium drew him, though. He started tapping the bricks with the handle of his mace. One of them clunked with a different sound. He tried to get the blade of his knife in the crack but it didn't fit.

"Let's try magic, again," Tonks suggested. "_Accio_brick!" The brick slid out of its place. Harry carefully examined the hole with his lit wand (a marvious tool for lighting small holes from the inside, he decided) and saw a red jewel inside. He reached in and removed it.

"I think this is what we're looking for," Harry said. "Shall we go, Miss Tonks?"

"Certainly, Mr. Ranger."

They replaced the brick as Tonks wondered why the brick wasn't magically locked into place.

"Probably because those detection spells would have led us right to it. This way, with no magical protection on it, a detect magic spell doesn't tell everyone where it is." Tonks thought that was a plausible explanation.

The trip back was a lot easier. The fire wasn't any problem with the use of Harry's magic cloak, the troll was still unconscious, the chess pieces ignored them going the other direction, and the key room door was still unlocked.

Harry locked the door behind them with his key and looked a little wistfully at the keys flying overhead.

"You have, what? Over a hundred keys on that ring already. How many are you going to collect?"

"It's just a hobby," Harry rejoined then walked with her into the plant room.

Tonks said, "I remembered this plant, by the way. It's a Devil's Snare."

"Think you can climb a rope?"

"I don't have to if you levitate me. You are a wizard, right?"

"Er, right. Despite all the spells I've learned, I just don't think of myself that way."

"Whatever, but you can levitate me, right?"

"Sure, but why don't you levitate me so I can make sure that Fluffy is still sleeping." The three headed dog was, and Harry retrieved Tonks, the rope, and the rod, in that order. They made their way out of the room and to the Entrance Hall.

"I'm going to the Owlry to send Flamel a note. I wonder if he wants his stone back? See you in the common room, or at breakfast, if you decide to go to bed."

"I'm looking forward to this vacation, Harry."

"Now," he indicated the bag of holding that was protecting the Philosopher's Stone, "so am I."

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

In the headmaster's office, another alarm went off. Dumbledore smiled. The charm told him that Harry had left the third floor corridor. The black king hadn't fallen down, indicating that they hadn't passed the chessboard. The troll was still alive. The flame freezing potion was untouched. Harry had reached the chessboard and had been stuck.

Things were coming together nicely. He would monitor the situation, and if Voldemort made his move, he would have to alert Harry some how, so he could save the day and confront the dark wizard in his wraith form.

There was still more than half the school year left.

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

To say that the Yuletide was strange for Harry would be an understatement. He took the Hogwarts Express back to London with Tonks. He had agreed to spend "Christmas" with her and her family.

Once the train stopped, they left the busy, magical platform to enter the even busier, non-magical part of King's Cross station. Harry felt the same fear of crowds and anxiety that he had when exploring non-magical London from the Leaky Cauldron.

When they first got off the train, he had been carrying Tonk's overnight bag for her, just gawking at the crowd. Tonks suddenly broke into a run and ran over to a beautiful black haired woman and a wide (and slightly overweight) balding man. They hugged and kissed and smiled and Harry felt a little wistful.

While Aratin had eventually married the Widow Gweneth when he was eleven or twelve, she was never a "mother" to him. She was the daughter of a rich refugee from London, and had married the owner of the Saintly Cat Inn at Shrewsbury. Aratin's obligations to the Paladin lord brought him there often. After her husband died, she ran the inn for a number of years before getting Lord James to agree to bring her suit to Aratin. James thought it would be an anchoring event in Aratin's life and he wanted to encourage the Ranger to have children, which were the future of the community. Aratin eventually gave in, and the marriage went forward. Harry noticed that the amount of training time after that greatly increased.

Now, he was seeing something that he had no memory of ever having - a loving mother and father. He smiled and went over to them.

"Mum, Dad, I'd like you to meet Harry Ranger. Harry, my mother, Andromeda, and my father, Theodore."

"Call me Ted," he said, holding out a hand. Harry shook it, giving as much pressure as he got.

"And call me Andi," Tonk's mother replied, also holding out a hand. Harry knew that the lord's of Gaul kissed the hands of ladies, but he also knew his own ignorance, and kept to a handshake. In his own country, a woman would never offer a hand to be shaken or kissed. Different customs, he mused.

"Thank you for letting me stay with you this holiday."

"You didn't bring anything, Nymph?" Andi asked Tonks.

"Harry has my bag, _Mother,_" she replied with clenched teeth.

Harry kept his expression neutral. He had been warned that she didn't like her first name and would hurt anyone who used it. She had actually done that to a sixth year who had called her 'Nymphadora.' He assumed her parents were in the 'do not hurt' category.

"Then do you not have any luggage, Harry?" Andi asked, concerned.

Before he could answer, Tonks did. "He carries all his stuff in that amazing bag his has slung on his back. You won't believe what he has in there."

They drove home, and Tonk's parents asked him about his 'other world.' Dumbledore had wanted to keep it a secret, but a seventeen year old Harry Potter was impossible to hide in a public place like a school and there had been many articles on the strange background to the Boy-Who-Lived, most wildly inaccurate. Harry had been unaware of that, and realized his request to Hermione to keep his background quiet was mostly worthless.

They arrived at the modest home of the Tonks' and Harry settled into the guest bedroom. They were in an environment that Harry knew nothing about: suburbia.

The days leading up to Christmas were filled with shopping. Harry found out Tonks loved shopping; he had had clues to that in Hogsmeade, but she _really_ liked non-magical clothes and stores.

If Harry thought the manufactured good at Hogsmeade was overwhelming, the mall he was taken to almost overloaded him. And the crowd made him feel like he was surrounded by enemies.

Inside some of the smaller shops, he felt more at ease, but only slightly. He picked up some Christmas presents, and asked to be taken back to the Tonks' house as soon as possible. Even walking the neighborhood didn't help - all those similar buildings and straight roads, the cars and the streetlamps - the alien-ness of the whole thing depressed him. He returned to the Tonks and didn't leave their home much the entire holiday.

The decorative lights and decorated tree was very different from his experiences, too. Of course the whole electricity thing, while vaguely remembered from when he lived in this world, was also another shock. To be honest, he did like electric lights. The steady, night defeating brightness of them gave him a feeling of safety that he had to admit a campfire never did. It just wasn't as interesting.

Giving gifts at Christmas (or Yule time, as there were very few Christians at Blue Mountain) was not a tradition on his world. Sharing a meal, and Andi did make a good one, was, and sitting around the special Yule log (blessed by a Druid, at Aratin's manor, at least) was. And while it wasn't burning a blessed log, they did sit around the fireplace and talk in the blinking, colorful light from the Christmas Tree.

Christmas morning brought the ritual of opening the presents. The presents were, for the most part, small and symbolic of friendship, or love, in the Tonks' cases. But there was one present that had come via owl for Harry. He opened the unsigned "gift" that used to belong to his father, and admired the invisibility cloak. From the reaction of the Tonks, he gathered that such magic was as rare here as it was on his world. He felt it would be more appropriate if he was a Thief, but it would come in handy, he was sure, and put it away in his personal Bag of Holding.

During the holiday, Tonks showed her parents the "haul" from the search of Hufflepuff's Hideout. Andi had a certain knack for potions, so she asked to borrow the books, at least until Easter, so she could look over them in detail, and help Tonks decide what to do with them. Tonks agreed, and the students returned to Hogwarts.

**Author Note**: Yes, I stole the holocaust cloak from the movie _The Princess Bride. _ So sue me. NO! Wait! Don't sue me. PLEASE!_  
><em>


	6. The end of the School Year

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or Dungeons and Dragons, although I do own copies of the books. By the way, the rules I'm using are from the 1978 Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 3 volume hardback set. So if it doesn't match up with the rules you've played, that's probably why.

**Chapter 6**  
><strong>The end of the School Year<strong>

Dumbledore frowned. It was now well into January. Harry hadn't made any more trips into the third floor corridor. He hadn't been playing with his invisibility cloak, either. The Mirror of Erised had arrived two days before Christmas, and no one had even looked into it, especially Harry. He would have to do something about that.

Add to that what Hagrid had told him - there were no more unicorns being attacked. Seems that the herd had moved away from Hogwarts. Dumbledore wasn't sure how this would play out; Voldemort might get desperate and attack the school before the Mirror was in place.

Yes, he would have to _encourage _Harry to check out the mirror.

ADND

Hannah and Susan couldn't believe it. Somehow, Madam Pince had left the library before curfew without closing up, and Hannah and Susan had missed it. Now they had to get back to Hufflepuff house without getting caught.

Easier said than done! It seemed every hallway that would have brought them closer to their dorm was patrolled by Miss Norris, the caretaker's evil cat. How it got around so quickly, they didn't know. But now they were in a corridor not that far from the library, as they had been herded back to it by the cat. Suddenly, they heard footsteps ahead. They ducked into what turned out to be an abandoned classroom. Strangely, there was a large mirror in the middle of the room. They went over to check it out.

ADND ADND

Dumbledore was surprised when his alarm rang the next morning. Harry didn't waste any time checking out the Mirror after he, Dumbledore, "encouraged" some of his classmates to look at it. He quickly finished dressing, and went to intercept Harry before he left the Mirror.

Dumbledore soon arrived at the empty classroom that he had used. However he couldn't actually see if Harry was in it, as almost the entire Hufflepuff house was in his way. They were taking turns looking into the mirror and discussing it as they got back in line to wait their turn again. Dumbledore removed the invisibility spell on himself, and approached the crowd.

He soon had most of the 'Puffs outside the room on their way to breakfast. Moving into the room, he finally found Harry and the rest of the seventh years doing crowd control. Dumbledore encouraged them to get to breakfast, too. He stopped Harry.

"Mr. Ranger. Did you figure out the mirror?"

"No. At first we thought it showed the future, as Susan saw herself as head of the magical police force, and Hannah saw herself married to someone with a bunch of children. But then Finch-Fletchley saw his grandfather who passed away last year, we realized that it couldn't be that simple. Then someone figured out the inscription. That certainly explained all the red faces of many of the boys. And girls, now that I think about it."

"And what did you see, Mr. Ranger?"

"Blue Mountain, Dendroginous the Druid with the symbols of the great druid, and a couple of, er, women dressed for very hot weather."

"You didn't see your parents?"

"Oh, yes, Aratin was in the background, waving at me."

"I meant James Potter and Lily Potter."

"As I've never seen them, I don't know how the mirror could show them to me."

"It is a _magic_ mirror, Mr. Ranger."

"I'll grant you that. But not a particularly useful one."

"Perhaps not. But it can be useful to see your heart's desire."

Harry shrugged. "Well, I'm off to breakfast. Headmaster. Have a good day."

Dumbledore would have glared at Potter if he weren't so good at keeping in character. The boy was incredibly frustrating. He had heard the boy exchanging descriptions with other seventh years about what they saw in the mirror. But the boy hadn't even bothered to ask _him _what he desired. Not that he would have told. But Dumbledore felt that the fact that Harry hadn't asked him meant something. He just didn't know what.

The owls came in, as usual, with mail and the day's newspaper. Dumbledore had all his mail routed to his office, so he was never bothered by the owls during breakfast. It just wouldn't do to have his head stuck in a newspaper or some import mail at the breakfast table. He watched the students as he ate.

Hmmm, there was something that Miss Tonks wanted to show Harry on the front page. Why would he be interested in anything in the paper? Especially given his oft stated desire to return to the dimension from which Dumbledore had rescued him.

Whatever was on the first page made the young man smile. Then he looked up at the head table, for some reason.

"Headmaster? You might want to see this," McGonagall said, as she handed him the paper, folded so he could see the bottom of the front page.

"Ancient Alchemist heading for around the world trip with wife of 600 years" read the headline. The story was about Flamel going for a trip to study and work abroad for the next decade or so.

"When you get my age," the sexacentenian told the Daily Prophet, "you can get set in your ways. For example, I had misplaced my Philosopher's Stone for about half a year. I have it back now. It will be with us on the trip."

The alchemist continued, "And I've had over half a millennium protecting it from people who have tried to take it from me. I would greatly discourage anyone else from trying."

Dumbledore felt himself going pale despite his years of practice avoiding giving away his feelings.

"What does it mean, Albus?"

"Get Potter to my office right away!" was the only answer she got, as the headmaster stalked out of the room.

McGonagall felt she had no choice but to get Potter - Ranger, she reminded herself, up to the headmaster's office.

"I would certainly be willing to meet with the Headmaster, but I would like my head of house, and perhaps you there too, as witnesses."

"Witnesses?"

"Yes. Perhaps a constable, too."

"Why would you need an auror?"

"I don't trust the Headmaster."

"Mr. Ranger, I will give you my personal assurance of your safety."

"I still want my head of house there."

"Very well, we'll get Pamona, and go see the Headmaster."

The group arrived at the door to Dumbledore's office, and received a gruff, "Enter."

Harry and the two teachers came in. Dumbledore then said, "Thank you Minerva, Pamona. Your presence won't be needed."

"I asked them here."

"I wanted to talk to just you, Mr. Ranger."

"If it's about what I think it's about, I want witnesses."

They argued for a few minutes, until Dumbledore acquiesced to Harry.

"Mr. Potter, do you know anything about the article in the Prophet this morning? I know it was pointed out to you."

"I recovered Alchemist Flamel's Philosopher's Stone and returned it to him. I suggested that we publicize the fact that he has it, but I wasn't expecting this. He was quite happy to have it back, by the way. As it says in the newspaper, he didn't know it was missing."

Professor Sprout asked, "I don't understand. How could he not know it was missing?"

"He has a supply of the elixir for himself and his wife to last a few years. He didn't need the Stone very often," Harry explained.

"What I don't understand," McGonagall said, "is why he didn't know the stone was missing? I was told you had his permission to store the stone here."

"He wouldn't give his permission," Dumbledore answered.

Harry responded to that, "So you stole his property."

"I didn't steal it. I was going to give it back to him. It's not as if he was using it."

"Oh, I see. If someone isn't using something, like their money or house, you can just "borrow it" without their permission as long as you return it before they find out; no crime."

Dumbledore glared at him.

McGonagall knew when to give up trying to get information from Dumbledore, so she changed subjects. "You bypassed the traps, Mr. Ranger?"

"It wasn't too hard."

"But how could you do it without alerting me? I knew you got past the Cerberus, but my warning spells never told me that you defeated the chess set; the troll is still alive, so I don't know how you got past him, and you didn't use the potion to get past the final trap." Sprout gasped at the word 'troll.'

Harry answered McGonagall, facing her, "I didn't do what was expected. That's always a good way to keep your enemies off balance." He did turn towards Dumbledore when he said 'enemies.'

"Now that I've fixed your problem, I think I should get to class."

"What problem?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Alright, your problems," he said, emphasizing the 's.' "You were using a school full of students as bait for whatever it was that was attacking unicorns. I also was able to protect the unicorns by moving them to other places."

"You moved the unicorns away from the Forbidden Forest?" Dumbledore seemed more shocked by this than anything else he had heard. Hagrid had attributed the missing unicorns to Harry, but Dumbledore had dismissed him. He was sure, the way he hung around Nymphadora, that Harry was in no condition to approach a unicorn.

"Yes. No one else was protecting them, so I found them some other places to live. Amazing what goblins and the Royal Society for Protection of Magical Beasts can do if you work with them. Oh, yes, Ollivander also contributed to the costs involving in moving all the unicorns off the island of Britain."

"All of them?" Dumbledore didn't seem to be taking this well.

"All the ones in the Forbidden Forest. If there are any others, I don't know about them. I hope they're alright, or at least some place where the people around them try to protect them. Seems no one was trying to do that here. Closest we got to that was Hagrid searching for wounded unicorns and harvesting their bodies when they were killed."

"But...no unicorns?"

"Well, I can see that you have a lot to think about, so I'll be going.

"Oh, just one thing...what was that black thing that was attacking the unicorns?"

"The spirit of Voldemort. Probably possessing someone to give him form, and using unicorn blood to keep his host alive."

Harry nodded and left the office. Once he was gone, both Minerva and Pamona took their turns giving Dumbledore a piece of their minds.

ADND ADND ADND

No student besides Tonks and Harry knew the significance of the Prophet's article. The Hogwarts population was soon very much concerned with other happenings, so they never even got the chance to contemplate it. The day the Prophet published the Flamels' interview Quirinus Quirrel, the defense instructor, was found dead in his office, his turban on the floor, and a large hole in the back of his head. The discovery by some fourth year 'Claws had disrupted the whole day's classes and the funeral the next day canceled them.

Harry wasn't sure what to make of all of it. He thought Quirrell was a really poor instructor and he learned very little from him. What Harry couldn't understand is why the constables weren't called in to investigate the murder of a teacher.

A few days later classes resumed. The defense instructor was replaced by a constable from the magical government. He wasn't a personable fellow, Auror Baker, but they did learn more in the first week than the months they had had with Quirrell.

Harry kept working on reading and writing, those classes he went to, and long hikes in the Forbidden Forest with Umbriago. When he had been evacuating the unicorns for their own safety, he had used the Druid spell to talk to the unicorn again. The creature had wanted to stay with Harry, so he didn't send him away, and lied about there being no more unicorns in the Forbidden Forest to Dumbledore. The unicorn stopped sleeping in the Thestral stables, but kept close to the area, and liked to accompany Harry on his visits to the Forest.

One disappointment he encountered at school was finding out about apparition lessons after they were held. He realized it was his own fault for not paying attention when the sixth years were invited to the special class. The invitation hadn't included him, as he was technically a first year (although he was concentrating on second year work at this point). But once he found out, he kicked himself for missing the opportunity to learn what sounded like an enhanced Dimension Door spell (as it didn't seem to have the distance limitation like the Magic User spell). He resolved to take the special class next year, if he was still on this plane.

As spring came, he even spent some nights camping out in the woods. Those nights would find Umbriago hanging around Harry's tent, helping keep a watch.

There was some minor excitement at Hogwarts right after Easter break, which Harry spent at Hogwarts (or in the Forbidden Forest) Most of the seventh years stayed, too, spending their time studying for their examinations. Tonks went home.

The Minister of Magic arrived with an entourage of assistants, media people, and Andi and Ted Tonks. They were celebrating the publication of the first volume of Helga Hufflepuff's notebooks, which Andi and Ted had edited and annotated. They got the "discoverer of these important works of magical history" (as Minister Fudge put it) to take them on a tour of Hufflepuff's Hideout. Dumbledore was blindsided, and was reported as "being in a snit about not being the center of attention" (as reported in the _Daily Prophet _the next day. For Harry, the highlight of the tour was watching Minister Fudge turn as green as his suit when he got a sniff of the mushroom room.

Dumbledore took Harry aside and chided him for not telling the Headmaster about the discovery first, and insisted that Harry do so if he discovered any other hidden rooms.

Harry gave the headmaster agreeable words without actually agreeing.

ADND ADND ADND ADND

Tonks continued to hang around him, but he started getting strange feelings from her as the weeks passed. She seemed to be looking at him expectantly or angrily; he couldn't really decide what she was expecting from him until she confronted him in April.

"Harry? Do you like me?"

"Yes I do."

She had convinced him to show her the Forbidden forest as he knew it, so they were walking through it towards the rocky hills visible from the towers of Hogwarts. Harry had told her it was over a day's walk to get there and that he hadn't been there himself - no opportunity, but someday he'd explore the whole area.

"Then why don't you act like a real boyfriend? You've never even kissed me! Am I that ugly?"

"You're not ugly! I happen to like how you look!"

"Then why haven't you kissed me?"

Harry didn't say anything right away. He sighed and said, "It's not that I don't want to; I do. But it wouldn't be right. You have your whole life ahead of you. You've requested to become a constable, er... auror. You said there was two years of classroom training and another year of apprenticeship. Meanwhile, I want to go back to my own home.

"During Yule time, you took me out in the non-magical world. You fit right in, but I didn't. Not only isn't this my dimension, but there's huge portions of it that don't include me.

"So, pretending that we have a possibility of a relationship isn't realistic, and isn't fair to you."

"But you could stay..."

"I could, but I wouldn't be happy here. They say that when you travel the astral plane you're connected with your body by a silver cord. Should that cord break, you die. I'm connected to my world with a similar mystic cord. I won't be complete until I'm home."

"What if I told you it didn't matter? What if I want you now and to hell with later?"

Harry was confused for a moment until he realized that that she was using 'hell' as a bit of blasphemy to emphasize her feelings rather than one of the planes of existence.

"That would be incredibly shortsighted, and I wouldn't go along with it. Ever see a child stamp he feet and insist that he's grown up enough to have a sword? It doesn't matter how much he wants it, no parent would give in to the child. Just the same, I would have to reject you.

"I value your friendship and how you took me into your life and family, but I will not play with your feelings or jeopardize your future for a fleeting pleasure."

"Oh, Harry!" Tonks exclaimed, and threw herself into him to hug him. Harry put his arms around her, to comfort his friend. Umbriago appeared from wherever he was was and rubbed up against them both, either trying to comfort them or get into the hugging action; Harry wasn't sure.

After that, Harry led Tonks back to the castle. She was distant from him for the next few months. Harry was sad, but realized that it was for the best. He was starting to wonder if the Headmaster was really trying to get him home as he promised.

What was he thinking! Of course the Headmaster wasn't trying to get him home. He had pulled him here from his own world; Harry had figured out early that Dumbledore would do just about anything to keep him here. The whole 'won't take potions with Snape thing' was the result of him, Harry, being more important to Dumbledore's plans than Snape was.

It was the end of May and Tonks came to him, rather contritely.

"Harry? I'm sorry I've been avoiding you. I do like you, a lot, and I felt hurt by your rejection of me."

"It wasn't really you I was rejecting..."

She waved off his objection. "I was wondering if you would do me a favor? I know you camp out in the forest whenever you can. I was wondering if you'd take me out for the weekend? With N.E.W.T.s coming up, I'm just going crazy with studying and worry, and I'd really like to get away for a short time. Actually, I'd still like to study, but just away from the castle. Would you do this for me?"

"All I have is a small tent..."

"That's fine. I trust you. I trust you more than anyone outside my family. Please take me away for a couple of days."

"Tell you what, if the weather is nice, we'll do it. I'll check the weather Friday night, so we can head out Saturday if it's good. How does that sound?" She agreed.

Friday night after dinner, Harry took Tonks for a walk around the castle grounds. They walked close to the Forbidden forest, and Harry cast a Predict Weather Druid spell. The spell gave him a perfect forecast for the next sixteen hours. It gave less accurate information for another seven days, the farther into the future, the less reliable it was.

He smiled at Tonks, "You're in luck! The weather's going to be beautiful tomorrow and probably Sunday, too. We'll go after breakfast, if that's alright with you?"

"Perfect. What should I pack?"

"Jeans and a sturdy blouse. A jacket, as it may get a little chilly tomorrow night. A blanket, we can slip it into my bag," he patted his Bag of Holding. "I'll take care of everything else."

They next day they hiked for several hours into the woods until they reached a spot that Harry had camped at before - it was near a stream and far from the Acromantulas and Centaurs. The rumors of werewolves in the forest had proven to be just rumors. Besides, werewolves were different on this world. Like on his world, they would change into wolves on nights of the full moon, but here they couldn't change at will at other times. And they only changed on the very night of the full moon; on his world they also changed on the night before and after - three nights per lunar month.

Harry pitched his tent, they ate a picnic lunch that the brownies, er...House Elves had fixed them, and Tonks relaxed on a conjured chair in the afternoon sunshine, reviewing for her upcoming exams.

Harry collected wood and built a fire. He had to admit, that a simple ignite spell was a lot easier than using flint and steel to start a fire. They had some more Elf packed food, and Tonks continued to study. Harry scouted the area, mostly to keep in practice. Most intelligent creatures of the forest knew about him and Umbriago and left them alone.

Harry returned to camp when it was nearing full dark. Light escaped the end of the tent, and Harry found that Tonks had started to get chilly, so she moved into the tent, where she was still studying.

Harry built up the fire again, and enticed her out to enjoy it and the clear night. Eventually, he extinguished the fire, and they spent a few minutes reviewing her Astronomy knowledge about the stars that were visible above them through the trees. She stood close to Harry and had put her arm around him as she used the other one to point to various stars and constellations that she identified. After a few minutes, she was getting cold again, and they went to the tent. Harry stayed outside as Tonks got into her pajamas. He went into the tent, and got under his blanket, and took off his outer clothes. They lay down in the dark fairly close, but not touching.

"You know, when you said you had a small tent, I was thinking you just had a one bedroom tent and someone would sleep in the living room. I didn't know you meant that you had a Muggle tent."

Harry shook his head. "I'll have to look into wizarding tents. If they're that fancy, I'm not sure I should use one. I wouldn't want to lose my skills at real camping. And my appreciation of a flea-infested inn would probably diminish if I got used to something like that while camping out."

They talked a bit, about their own worlds, classes, and the future, and finally, Tonks reached over and pulled him into a hug and kissed him.

"Tonks, we shouldn't. When Isolde and Tristan slept together they had a naked sword between them. Do I need to do that to keep us honest?"

He kissed him again, and said, "No. I just wanted you to know that I haven't given up on us. I'll respect your rules, but can we at least sleep close together? Can you at least hold me some?"

Harry nodded. They were holding each other, so she did feel his head move. "Alright, but I still think this is a bad idea."

"If no one ever followed up on bad ideas, I doubt the world would be as interesting or as rich."

She rolled over, and pulled his hand around, so he had his hand on her stomach and he was pressed up against her back. She took a big breath, enlarging her chest magically at the same. Her self-transformation skills had been kept a secret the whole time she was in school, and she wasn't interested in letting the secret out now, but she could use it to her advantage.

"Good night, Harry."

"Good night, Tonks."

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

"Harry! Ranger Harry!"

"Huh? What? Dendreg? Is that you?"

"Hi Harry!"

"Harry? Who's there?"

"It's alright Tonks. It's just my friend, Druid Dendroginous. Where are you Dendreg?"

"I'm in the Astral Plane, Harry. I got Wizard Cordtup to cast an Astral Spell on me, in the hopes that I could find you. I have your sword here, by the way. It led me to you. Cordtup wasn't sure if you had a strong enough attachment to it for it to work.

"So who is that I heard with you?"

"It's a friend of mine. Tonks, meet Druid Dendroginous. Dendreg, meet Student Witch Tonks."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance. Sorry I can't see you. Maybe some day in the not too distant future."

"Harry's told me about you. Warned might be more correct."

"What sort of tales are you telling about me, Harry!"

"Nothing bad. Or very bad."

"Don't believe him, Student Witch Tonks. I'm pretty much on the outs with the rest of the Druids because I'm too nice. They say I'm not 'balanced' enough."

"So, how are things at home?"

"About the same. Paladin James sent an expeditionary force against the giants. Didn't come back. He's not sure what they're facing. He'd like to send Aratin to scout it out, but he's got Aratin coordinating the defenses and patrols of the old Roman road. We could really use you, Harry."

"I'd love to come back. Any way that Wizard Cordtup could get me back?"

"He's checking. It's just not going to be a high priority for him."

"Thanks for trying. School takes a two month holiday soon and then I think I'll try to contact some foreign wizards; I'm not sure of the competence of the top wizards here."

"Alright. We'll try this again some time. Just don't expect it to be anytime soon. This is costing a large number of gold pieces."

"I'll try to pay you back," Harry said. But there was no reply. He called his friend a number of times, but he was gone. Tonks rolled over and hugged him, and he didn't protest. He was being overwhelmed by homesickness like he had never experienced before.

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

Harry woke up in the arms of Tonks, and gently pulled away. She was nice, but she had her own life in her own world; he couldn't offer her t-shirts, cars, or even books. It just wasn't going to work out between them.

They did spend the rest of the day, the first day of June, in the woods. Tonks tried, and mostly succeeded, to concentrate on her studies. She did get a few hugs in during the day. Harry seemed down, and she tried to get his spirits up.

They hiked back to the castle and arrived in time for dinner. After eating, Harry seemed to disappear. Tonks went back to studying, although that evening she was the victim of a pre-gossip attack - her roommates demanded to know what happened, and especially what happened between her and Harry once they found that they had been alone together. Tonks' disappointment that nothing happened was so genuine, that they left her alone soon after that, which was just as well, as they all were soon studying for their upcoming N.E.W.T.s.

The Nastily Exhaustive Wizarding Tests finally arrived the second week of June. They spent days being tested. Harry, who had been scarce the previous two weeks, became very supportive and gave Tonks a back massage after her first day of testing because she was so stressed and tensed. He ended up giving several of the girls massages, which got him some angry glares from boyfriends. He offered to massage the boys, too, but got no takers.

Harry himself took the second year tests. He had found that he picked up the first year material too easily, and spent the time after Christmas break concentrating on the second year curriculum. He still was very slow with his writing, but his reading had greatly improved. He had enjoyed the story books he had read; it was one thing that his world didn't have. Nothing against a good bard, but you can't relax in bed . . . he shook his head when he imagined Tonks as a bard in a green bodice. . . .

He sighed. He had to find a way home.

A few days before school let out, he was summoned by Dumbledore to his office. He contacted his head of house and they both showed up at the meeting.

It seemed that Dumbledore wanted Harry to stay with the Weasley family. Harry had already made arrangements to stay with the Tonks family, so he politely declined, despite Dumbledore's attempt to persuade him that living with a magical family would do him a world of good and let him see what this world had to offer. Harry didn't argue, except to point out that all three of the Tonks were magical. Dumbledore rejoined that they lived in both worlds, and that the Weasleys lived completely in the wizarding world.

When Harry asked for an update on the research to send him home, Dumbledore sadly informed him that it would be virtually impossible to get him back to his own world. Harry's face took on it's neutral look and he nodded, leaving the office after that. Sprout went with him, offering him condolences once they were out of the office.

"Don't worry about, Professor Sprout. All this says is Dumbledore is incapable or unwilling to help me. He's not the only wizard in the world, and oft the teacher will lose track of what's changed in the world since they started teaching. Er, no offense."

She smiled, "None taken."

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

Dumbledore frowned. He had listened to Harry and Pamona's conversation. He couldn't figure out why the boy didn't trust him. Or how he was so good at ruining his plans. It was true that Dumbledore wasn't trying to get Harry back to his own world. But that didn't give the boy leave to cast aspersions on his actions.

The feast on the night before they left Hogwarts was as good as any that Paladin James had put on. The house cup was awarded to Slytherin, and there was another moment of silence for the un-missed Quirrell. The student population went to their houses to pack or settled in for the night.

Harry, however, went into the forest to talk to Umbriago and the Centaurs, leaving the unicorn in their care.

"Ranger Harry," the Centaur Firenze called to him as he started back to the castle.

"Problem, Centaur?"

"My herd does not want me to talk to you, but I felt you should know. . . ."

"Know what?"

"There is a prophecy; The Centaurs study the skies for knowledge. . . ."

"Yes, Uranus overlaying the Earth, the two sources of all life, the first Father and the all Mother. She feeds us, and he instructs us. I am familiar with the belief."

"You have unexpected knowledge, Ranger. We learn much from the stars, but sometimes we are gifted with prophecy. An ancient one says that eventually the last unicorn will come to our herd, and our fates shall be the same. We will guard this unicorn, for should it die, so shall our herd; and should we restrict it's freedom in the forest, so shall our own freedom be restricted."

"I knew the Centaurs would guard him well. I didn't know about the prophecy, though. I trusted you to do the right thing without the prophecy."

"Thank you for your trust. We do not relate the prophecy to those outside our herd; it is not a happy prediction and it bodes ill for us, since no matter how well we keep the unicorn, all things die. Perhaps it is my people's time."

"If there's one thing I've learned from bards it is that a prophecy is rarely fulfilled the way your expect. Do not give up hope."

"We are the children of Centaurus. He watches us from the sky still. We never give up hope."

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

The next day, Hufflepuff house members showed their loyalty and hard work as the whole house packed to go home. Anything that couldn't be identified as to the owner ended up in the common room, where people took frequent breaks to find missing items or spot their friends' possessions.

Harry packed quickly; most of his stuff was already in his bag of holding. He moved through the various years' dorms helping where he could. Finally the entire group marched to breakfast leaving the brownies, or rather house elves, to move the luggage to the train.

Soon they were on the Hogwarts Express heading towards London.

"It's been a strange ten months. Back home it's been over a year and a half since I left."

Tonks, who was the only other person in the compartment at the moment, shrugged. "It's like you're trapped on one of your Adventure's Harry. You could have been killed at the Pillar of the World, or by that wizard, Mycroft, or by gnolls, or ghouls, or . . . anything. You could have been captured, or the adventure could have taken unexpected turns and you might have been very delayed returning home. That's all that this is. . . it's a very long delay in your returning home. You'll get home eventually."

Harry gave her a hug in thanks, which was what they were doing when they were interrupted by a couple of first years. (Former first years, Harry reminded himself.) Miss Granger and Mr. Longbottom looked embarrassed to catch the two teenagers hugging.

"I just wanted to thank you for saving me from the troll, Mr. Ranger."

"Just call me Harry. And you're very welcome. And I want to thank you for the information you gave me about the three headed dog. Did you know it's name was Fluffy, and it is Groundskeeper Hagrid's pet?"

"He keeps that monster as a pet?" Longbottom gasped, eyes wide. Harry smiled as he realized that Longbottom probably was in on the adventure that led to Hermione finding out about the dog.

"Why would he keep it in the castle?" Longbottom wondered.

"Don't you remember, Neville, it was standing on a trap door."

"Oh, yes, that's right. Wonder what it is guarding?"

"Was guarding. It stopped around the time Quirrell died. . . ." Harry's voice trailed off. He looked at Tonks. "That wasn't a coincidence, was it?"

"What was a coincidence?" Hermione wanted to know.

"We removed the reason for Fluffy to be stuck indoors, and the day that becomes known, Quirrell dies. Dumbledore said the thing attacking the unicorns was probably someone possessed by the spirit of Voldemort." Longbottom squeaked at the name. Granger looked fascinated.

"But how does his death, even if he was possessed, relate to the three headed dog?"

"Assuming Voldemort was possessing Quirrell, he was drinking unicorn blood to stay alive, and keep his host alive. I removed the unicorns from the Forbidden Forest. . ."

Granger started at this in a way she hadn't at Voldemort's name. "You removed the unicorns?" Harry nodded. "Where did they go?"

"Turns out I own some land in Wales. Most moved there. Some moved to another magical preserve. Anyway, without unicorn blood, Quirrell probably became weak and sick over the Yule break, and the final straw was finding that Flamel had his Stone back. Voldemort left the professor, killing him."

"Wow!" Was all Longbottom said.

"What did Flamel have to do with all this?" Hermione wanted to know.

Harry explained about the Philosopher's Stone and how Dumbledore had 'borrowed' it without permission.

"Dumbledore wouldn't do that!" Hermione insisted.

"Sorry, but confirmed it with Flamel himself."

"But he's the leader of the Light!" Hermione gasped.

"Everyone says that, as if it means something. 'Light.' 'Dark.' These terms don't have very good definitions. But one thing they don't mean is Good and Evil. Whatever else Dumbledore is, he isn't one of the good guys."

The discussion went on for a while, wandered off topic, was interrupted by the food cart, which Harry sprung for everyone, and eventually got to a topic Harry wanted to know about - what could the two Gryffindors tell him about the Weasley family.

They were still talking when the train pulled into the station.

Harry watched as the Weasleys had a family reunion. The Weasley matriarch found him and repeated the offer to let him stay with the red-headed family for the summer. Harry politely declined. He joined the Tonk family. They left the station and went to Tonks' house. As Harry settled in for the night, he knew he'd need a good sleep.

Harry had plans for the summer.


	7. Summertime, and the Living is Easy

**Disclaimer:**AD&D (according to the book I'm using) is Gary Gygax's and TSR's, both lost to history, sadly. Harry Potter is J. K. Rowling and others. I'm thankful for both of them for looking the other way while I play with their worlds and characters.

**Chapter 7**  
><strong>Summertime, and the Living is Easy<strong>

"Good morning, Harry!"

"Good morning, Andi. I must thank you again for putting up with me, and putting me up."

"My pleasure."

"Tonks not up yet?"

"_Nyphadora _will sleep in if she has the opportunity. She's a real night owl. A few summers ago, Ted had to spell her windows closed so she wouldn't go out at night. Now she can apparate and that doesn't work any more. We could exclude her from the protective wards, but then she couldn't come home, either."

Harry grumbled.

"Something wrong?" Andi asked.

"I missed the apparition lessons at school. It sounds like a very useful spell to learn. You couldn't, by chance, teach me, could you?"

"I'm sorry, Harry. I have to get to work. And I don't suggest you get Nyphadora to teach you; she can do it, but it's dangerous to learn; you can leave parts of yourself behind, if you're not careful. So, please try and learn from a professional."

"I'll do that, Andi. Another question? Do you know how I can get in contact with the magical community of Gaul?"

"You mean France?"

"Er, probably. The part of Europe just east of Britany."

"Yes, that's France. It includes Britany, though."

"What? When did that happen?"

"A very long time ago, Harry. But I have to go to work. This, by the way, is apparition." And with that, she disappeared with a cracking noise.

"I have to learn that," Harry muttered to himself.

Tonks came down later, and Harry stared at her. She was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, and looked very fine in it, but what shocked him was her hair. Her light brown hair had been dyed pink and was made up in a spiky style.

"Your hair..." Harry said, confused and unsure what to say about it.

"Yeah, this is my summer hair. I like the muggle styles, and I fit in well at the clubs; most clubs," she amended. "So, you'll probably see it in various colors this summer."

"This may take some getting used to. Pardon me, if I stare." Tonks just laughed.

Harry excitedly told her about his desire to learn to apparate as soon as possible. He also explained that he wanted to contact, and possibly visit the French magicals.

"Why?"

"The magic user's guild - er community, here, doesn't seem to be able to solve my problem of getting home. I want to see if others can. I'll start with France."

"We can send them a letter," Tonks suggested. Harry agreed, but insisted that he wanted to learn to apparate as soon as possible.

Tonks and Harry went by Floo to Diagon Alley. There they found Belzar's Apparition School and Harry signed up for the class that would be starting the next week. It was a week long class, but most people grasped it much quicker and took their licensing test before the week was over.

Harry and Tonks ate lunch in the Alley and then went to Eeylops Owl Emporium. Harry found a beautiful Snowy Owl that seemed to like him. After buying the owl for his coming international correspondence, they went back to the Tonks' house to write the letter. They sent it off with Hedwig, which for some reason Harry felt was the right name for the owl.

Later that afternoon, Ted and Andi returned from work, they had dinner, and Tonks convinced Harry to go clubbing with her. He even danced, although he felt very awkward doing so. Tonks, who was usually so clumsy, moved with a lot of grace. Feeling very out of place, he avoided any alcohol. Tonks teased him about being on duty, but provided him with soft drinks.

Harry couldn't imagine the people of Blue Mountain putting up with the techno-beat. He had a good time anyway, and went home very tired and with a headache.

And thus the summer break started. Harry and Tonks going to Diagon Alley; for lunch, for shopping, for simply being somewhere where they could practice their spells safely. An afternoon spent relaxing followed by an evening of dancing or a show or a movie. After a few days, Harry reduced his night time activities to every other day or less. He still got up early, and needed the rest. Also, he didn't want give Tonks the impression that they were dating.

Harry kept picking up books of magic, mostly spells. He felt that once he returned to his own world, he could keep up his studies and no one would be able to teach him; he'd have to learn it from books.

The second week involved going to the apparition school and learning how to teleport himself. By Wednesday he felt confident enough to take his test, which he passed. He took the Tonks family out to dinner to celebrate. Actually, they took him out, as they knew the local inns (er, restaurants), but he paid.

Harry also received a reply from the French Ministère du Magie who were very interested in talking to him about his experiences. He talked it over with the Tonks family, and they decided to take a family vacation to France in late July. Harry was very thankful.

Tonks was also being taught to drive by her parents, whenever they had the time. Harry tried it, but he was mentally unprepared to handle something going even 45 kilometers per hour. He wasn't sure if he had ever ridden a horse that fast, but if he had, the horse had been the one driving, so it didn't count. He just accepted that this world was faster than his, at least in this respect.

**ADND **

After two weeks of this, Harry had to get away. He was going to apparate to Hogsmeade, then camp out a few days in the Forbidden Forest. Tonks wasn't thrilled with his decision but didn't argue with him.

The night that he left, Tonks was helping her father do the dishes, which meant that she put them away after they were washed and dried by the animated cleaning supplies her father enchanted.

"May I ask what's going on between you two? No details, please!"

"What's going on? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I keep trying, but he keeps resisting. He says he has no girlfriend back on the world he came from, and he doesn't have one here, either, but I want to be his girlfriend! He just won't have it."

"Why not? Is he not into girls?"

"I don't think that's it. He hasn't gone out with any boys, but that's just a smart thing to do at Hogwarts anyway."

"In the whole wizarding world, as far as I can see," her father added.

"But he refuses to, quote, lead me on, unquote, when he has no intention of staying in this world. He intends to go home as soon as possible, and then he'll consider taking a wife. He just refuses to do anything about girlfriends until he's home."

"He won't consider staying?"

She shook her head. "No, he's set on going back. I can't compete with his whole world."

Her father nodded. "It does seem very different."

"He says the only thing that keeps him sane in our world is his ability to get away, like he's doing now. He says that he gets nervous in crowds, and the whole world seems crowded. Hogsmeade isn't so bad, he says. Now that he can apparate, we've gone there sometimes instead of Diagon Alley to get back to the wizarding world. I think he really likes magic; he always seems to be practicing it. But he wants to go home."

"Ever consider going with him?"

"Maybe. But it sounds so very, very different. And Harry realizes it, too. He thinks I won't be happy there, because I like dancing and shopping and movies and things that have never been heard of on his world. I don't actually disagree, but it just seems unfair!" Her hair cycled through several shades of blue and red before returning to the current color, green.

"He invited you to go with him this week. Why didn't you?"

"I slow him down. He likes to hike through the woods, and he's always checking out trails, and animal poop, and tracks, and I just don't do any of that. I like the woods, and I've nothing against plants and animals; I took the Herbology and Care N.E.W.T.s, but that's mostly so I can handle dangerous situations when I'm an auror."

"Are you sure you don't want to join the firm with your mother and I? Doesn't a career behind a desk just excite you?" Ted teased his daughter.

"Some of your cases seem pretty exciting. . . ."

"But that's after fifty or more hours of preparation before going in front of the judge. Face it, you'd hate it."

"Yeah, probably."

"But consider this, Dora, if neither of you like what the other does for fun - if Harry doesn't really like going dancing with you, and you don't like going into the woods with him, are you really compatible? I admit he's a buff young man with loads of self confidence and a load of combat skills to back it up, but aren't we just talking sexual attraction here? Is there anything to build a relationship on?"

Tonks didn't go out that night. She went to bed early and lay there thinking.

**ADND ADND **

Harry returned after a week in the wilderness. He was relaxed and happy. Tonks felt that something had happened during that week, but Harry didn't want to talk about it. He actually said, he didn't want to talk about it 'now.' If he was around for a few years, he would consider it. When Tonks asked him what that meant, he again refused to say.

Tonks, for her part, invited Harry to go out with her, but no longer tried to talk him into it if he didn't want to. She also stopped going out every night, limiting herself to every other night. During the day, she started exercising; running and swimming at the community pool. Harry joined in tese activities as he wasn't getting as much exercise as he normally would and was starting to feel off; Tonks gave him the phrase 'out of shape' and Harry adopted it.

Harry's eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw what people wore swimming. Tonks wore a conservative one piece and reduced her chest size to avoid problems (which she knew Harry would attempt to fix to the detriment of anyone who bothered her). She needed to become more physically fit, as that was part of the auror training.

Harry attracted the attention of the girls (and women) at the pool, for all that he paid attention. For a while he had quite a crowd around him as people found he would give swimming pointers and help to anyone who asked. Most of the girls gave up after they found that he wasn't helping them because he was interested in them, but because they asked. Others had to be driven away by Tonks. Harry got more exercise swimming after that.

**ADND ADND ADND **

The time for their trip to France arrived. Harry had been instructed in European geography, as well as a bit on the magical states that co-existed with the muggle ones.

They took the Chunnel to France, much to Harry's amazement. Then they drove to Paris and checked into a hotel near the old part of the City of Lights. After that, they went to dinner at a restaurant, The Magical Pot, and took the back exit after eating. That led to the Rue de Magie, the Magical Road, Paris' equivalent of Diagon Alley.

Harry liked it better right away. First, it wasn't as tight. The road, even though it, like Diagon, only had foot traffic, was much wider. The shops didn't seem as squeezed together, and the place was decorated with flowers and even a few trees were growing along the road.

A tall, white, marble building turned out to be a Gringotts branch. A few doors down, a gray, stone building stood boxlike with the the words, _Ministère_ _du Magie _ inscribed over the door.

Harry entered, with the Tonks, and, with Andi and Ted working as translators, he was eventually led to an old witch.

"I have read about you, Harry Ranger," she said in accented English, pulling out an English language magazine call The Quibbler. "You make a very interesting claim. I would like to see if we can detect this other world on you - See if it left it's mark, magically. Would you allow us to do this?"

"Will this help me get back to my world?"

"That, I cannot say. We won't know until we try."

Try they did. Harry spent almost a week being tested with spells, crystals, potions, aura readers, and a few diviners who tried tarot cards, fire gazing, and a crystal ball. The last actually appeared to contact Blue Mountain Cantref for a few moments, but then lost the image.

In the end, all the French forensic mages could say was that Harry had indications of very foreign magic that might be from another world. They had no concept of astral, ethereal, elemental, or outer planes that seemed to figure so prominently in the beliefs of the people with whom Harry lived.

They said they would continue looking into alternative versions of the Earth and would get back with Harry if they discovered anything.

The Tonks, meanwhile, saw all the sights of Paris; some of which they took Harry to, when he wasn't busy in the Ministry's labs. If nothing else, Harry came to appreciate painting and sculpture more than he had.

He was also floored by the Eifel Tower. He'd seen buildings in London and Paris that were bigger, but something about the metal frame exposing its secrets emphasized the alienness of the building technology that this world used.

They returned to England with less hope than when he left.

**ADND ADND ADND ADND **

A few days after they returned, Harry declined Tonk's invitation to go running. He told her he wanted to run some errands. He apparated to Diagon Alley and found a copy of the Quibbler at a stationary store. He looked it over; the stories seemed to go from fanciful to outlandish. He knew a few bards that didn't keep their "stretching" of the truth to proper bounds. In the end, they damaged their own stories by doing so, as well as their reputations.

He wrote to the publisher, an Odysseus Lovegood, and asked about back issues with articles about him. The answer came a few days later. Od, as he wanted to be called, was willing to let Harry see them, but asked for an interview in return.

He talked it over with the Tonks, and Ted suggested he hire Andi, the Solicitor of the Tonks Law Firm. She could then negotiate terms with Lovegood, and try to keep Harry from making any serious errors during the interview. Harry agreed, paid Andi the galleon price she asked for, and wrote Lovegood back. He took his solicitor's advice and asked for a list of questions so as to be prepared for the interview.

Two days later, at a cafe at the far end of Diagon from the Leaky Cauldron, Harry, Andi, and Tonks met with Od Lovegood and his daughter, Luna. Od was, indeed, odd, with diagonally striped yellow and orange robes and a traditional wizard hat covered in mystic symbols and runes. Actually, to Harry the hat was of a familiar type; it was the sort of thing high level magic users would wear on the world he came from.

They ate lunch, and Od began the questions, while Luna made notes on a scroll of parchment.

"So, Mr. Ranger, can you tell me in your own words where you were living before you came to Hogwarts and how come you claim to be seventeen when it is only twelve years since your birth?"

Harry explained, as well as he could, how he had somehow come to be in a different world when he was five. He told of how a local noble took him in, raised him as his own, and taught Harry his profession.

"And that profession is a 'ranger'?" Od asked, breaking away from the prepared questions on the second one.

"Yes. Rangers are Fighters, but we are taught many outdoors skills - tracking, scouting, hunting - and consequently we are less effective in actual combat, but very important to our communities and any group we may join."

Getting back to the prepared questions, Od asked Harry to compare the two worlds.

"In my world, there is no separation of magic users and non-magic users, except professionally."

"Professionally?"

"Yes, if you are a magic user you aren't a Fighter, or farmer, or townsman. It takes too much time learning your own profession to also learn magic. And this seems to be enforced by magic itself. A person can't just pick up a spell book and cast a spell. Yet, as far as is known, any child intelligent enough could be taught magic. They just wouldn't have the time to also learn their father's profession."

"I see, go on."

"My world is not as advanced technologically as this one. We have not invented automobiles, airplanes, mass production...we also appear to have a much lower population. And we share the world with a number of other races, many of which are not on your world."

"Like what?"

"I hear there are Dwarves on this world, like on mine. Centaurs, too, inhabit both worlds. However, there appears to be no corresponding haflings, elves, orcs, or gnomes."

"We have both elves and gnomes."

"The creatures you call elves we call brownies. Elves are often described as a human brought to perfection; they are almost universally beautiful, graceful, and wise, and they are immortal. Your gnomes appear to be some sort of animal. Gnomes in my world are sometimes called cousins to the Dwarves, being short, not quite as stocky, and very similar in outlook. But while Dwarves are extraordinary miners and craftsman in stone and metal, gnomes are more inclined to above ground living, and are the greatest jewelers of any race. So, no, there does not appear to be anything similar in your world.

"Dragons are in both worlds, yet here they cannot talk and cast magic spells, while on my world they do."

The interview went on for hours. Harry glossed over the events at Hogwarts. The anonymous discovery of Hufflepuff's notebooks remained anonymous as Harry didn't take credit. Questions about politics, blood status and rights, and anything international was met with "I don't know". Harry, once again, explained the naming conventions in his world and why he wasn't answering to his father's name. He hoped, with it being published, that he had heard the last of "Harry Potter."

Finally the questions ended, except for one final one by Luna.

"Do they have crumple-horned snorkacks on your world?"

Harry had to confess that he had never heard of them, but promised to do some research at school, and once he knew what they were he would let her know.

Od turned over a box with old Quibblers. They then shook hands, but before they left, Luna came up to him to shake his hand, too - something she hadn't done with any of the other adults.

"Good luck, Ranger Harry, on your quest to return to your world."

Harry thanked her, and they left. But he wondered about the girl. He hadn't said right out that he wanted to go home. How did she know.

Unfortunately, the magazine articles weren't very helpful. They, like most of the other articles, appeared to swing between fanciful and outlandish. Harry felt it was another dead end.

**ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND **

As the holidays wound down, Harry was in owl contact with the professors at Hogwarts about skipping a grade. He had taken the second year exams at the end of the school year, and he wanted to move on. The teachers, who had been helping him, agreed, and he selected Runes and Care of Magical Creatures for his electives.

Meanwhile, Tonks frustration didn't abate. Ted Tonks even had a talk with Harry about 'missing the now by looking too much to the future', but Harry wasn't convinced. Internally, Harry felt a girlfriend would be an admission of defeat and acceptance that he'd never return to his world. Tonks went off to the Auror Academy about a week before Harry left for Hogwarts, and the parting wasn't as emotional as Tonks wanted.

Harry bought his school supplies on a day when some fop was causing congestion in the bookstore. Harry avoided the crowd and decided to get his books a different day. After shopping, he was heading back to the Leaky Cauldron for a late lunch when one of last year's first-years pointed him out to a man Harry was sure was his father. The family, which also included a beautiful, black haired witch that reminded him of Andi, approached him.

"Mr. Potter."

Harry looked behind himself, and side to side, and shrugged. "Sorry, no potters here. I did see some very nice pottery in Nordiska's shop, about a dozen stores beyond Gringotts. Perhaps they can tell you the name of their potter."

"So, the story is true. You are rejecting your parents."

"I haven't rejected anyone; except a dozen or so girls at a swimming pool who wanted to become my girlfriend. Not interested, at the moment. Do you want something, Mr. - er - Draco?"

"Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy. Draco," he indicated the twelve year old, "is our son. This is my wife, Narcissa."

Harry bowed to Mrs. Malfoy, and faced Mr. Malfoy. "Well, it was good to meet you, but I must be going."

"Mr. Ranger," Lucius said, perhaps, Harry thought, getting to the point. "I was wondering what your feeling on blood purity is?"

"While I'm all for pure blood, I think that every now and then it's alright to dilute it with alcohol. Brewer John makes, without a doubt, the best beer for miles around Blue Mountain Cantref. But I don't recommend his ale."

"What are you talking about?" Draco burst out.

"Draco..." his father said, warning him to be quiet.

"Well, you see, Draco," Harry told him, enjoying the whole situation, "when grown ups want to relax, sometimes they enjoy drinking beer or other drinks that children just shouldn't drink. As you grow up, you'll eventually get a chance to try some; but take my advice, don't drink too much in one night."

"I know what beer is!" Draco almost shouted. As it was, his outburst caught the attention of some people walking by, and Draco's family briefly became the center of attention.

"Well, good day, I must run." And Harry walked off quickly, before they could stop him.

**Author Note:** Yes, I know JKR gave Luna's father a different first name. I just like Od Lovegood too much not to use it.

I usually try to answer reader comments in the story (if I'm going to answer at all :-), but one doesn't lend itself to that. One review complained that this story is too clichéd. The essence of D&D _is_ cliché – classes, races limited to various classes, levels, alignment – the whole game is an embodyment of fantasy adventure movies and stories at the time it was designed. (Even now, I hear, D&D v4 is a paper and pencil game version of World of Warcraft. I've never read the modern rules, so don't bother to argue the point, I'm only passing on what I've heard.) So yes, this story is heavily influenced by those D&D and other game system adventures I played decades ago. And I make no apologies for that.

And now a complaint about Open Office/Libre Office/ and/or . read in the ODT file for this chapter then presented me with a single block of (centered) text. Libre Office didn't allow me to save it as HTML, so I used Open Office. When Open Office saved the file in HTML format, and I read it in, again, one single block of text. I then went through the HTML output and manually put paragraph marks around the paragraphs, and removed the PRE and /PRE tags, and this is the result. I'm about to publish this, and hope the formatting is correct. If not, I thank you for your patience while I try to fix it. And strangely, seems to change my two spaces between sentences into one. Which is not the way I was taught!


	8. 8 New School Year, New Problems

**CHAPTER 8 **

**New School Year, New Problems**

Andi and Ted accompanied Harry to the station. They said their goodbyes and Harry boarded the train. He was now eighteen, the oldest student in Hogwarts, and wondered about how this would play out. He was going to be taking classes with the thirteen year olds, skipping second year, so he felt he was moving up in the world.

He was joined in his compartment by some of the now seventh year 'Puffs, and took the time to get to know them. He missed Tonks already. She might have been a temptation, but at least she was bubbly and fun to be with. He left the compartment during the ride to see who else he could talk to. He met Luna Lovegood in a compartment with a red-head, Ginny Weasley. He stopped to visit.

"Hullo, Harry," she said in a dreamy voice, looking at him with her large, protruding eyes.

"Good morning, Miss Lovegood. And who's your friend?"

"This is Ginny Weasley. We live in the same town. Ginny, this is Ranger Harry."

Ginny had been staring at him since Luna greeted him.

"You're the Boy-Who-Lived!" she half whispered, then turned red.

Harry looked at himself, and shrugged. "I think I've grown up since then." Ginny just blushed harder.

Harry and Luna talked for a few minutes. Harry found out that the issue with his interview would be coming out the next day. Harry really wasn't interested, but he didn't let on.

Finally, Ginny seemed to gain some measure of control over herself and asked, "How come you're so big? You were only born a year before I was. You're supposed to be twelve!"

"It has been my experience that the world doesn't care how things are supposed to be. I spent twelve years in a plane where time goes faster than in this one, so only six years passed here. Now I'm an adult, I've got a profession, and I'm learning magic. Things happened not as you or I supposed they would; they just happened."

They talked a while longer, Ginny becoming more gregarious as she got used to Harry. He eventually took his leave, and found a group of second year girls that included Hermione Granger and a few Hufflepuff girls.

"Hello, Hermione," Harry said as he looked in their compartment.

"Hello, Harry," a chorus of voices answered.

"How was your summer," Hermione asked.

Harry told a bit about his trip to France. Hermione had also visited the country, while some of the other girls had other vacations around the British Isles.

Draco with his body guards opened the door of the compartment without knocking.

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy," Harry said with a grin.

"You! What were you trying to do to my parents in Diagon Alley?"

"Do? I didn't do anything. They spoke to me, I spoke to them, then I had to leave."

"You were highly insulting to them. You should be grateful that half-bloods like you are even allowed to go to Hogwarts!"

"Oh, that's right. They were saying something about pure blood. You didn't go dilute your blood with ale did you?"

"This has nothing to do with beer, you imbecile!"

Harry turned to the girls. "If you can make them lose their temper, you've won half the battle. In a battle of wits, you've won the whole thing." Susan laughed at that while Hermione looked perplexed.

"Go ahead! Laugh it up! We'll see who's laughing at the end of the year and who is dead!" Draco turned and stomped away, followed by his bodyguard.

"Did that sound like a threat to anyone?"

"I thought so," Susan said. Hannah nodded as well, and Hermione looked distressed.

"You shouldn't taunt him like that. It will just make things worse."

"Hermione, you can, at times, work with evil people if you have similar goals, or goals that can more easily be achieved together than separately. And sometimes you fight them. But you can't ignore people who threaten you. Well, you can, but it doesn't make it better. No, I think we learned something he didn't want to tell us. And now we should be on our toes. Whatever he thinks is coming sounds like it will be dangerous. Keep a careful watch." He got up to go.

"We will," Hannah said. He stepped out and headed further along the car. But before he moved very far, he overheard the girls talking.

"He's soooo handsome. And now that Tonks isn't around, he has no girlfriend. Do you think he'll wait for me?" Hannah asked.

"Wait for you for what?" Granger asked.

"To grow bigger and become his girlfriend."

"He's like an old man!" Susan exclaimed, and at that, Harry moved on.

He saw a few more former classmates in another compartment. He knocked and entered the compartment with the four, now second year Gryffindor boys.

"Hello, Neville. Travor behaving himself?"

"I got him a cage for traveling." the slightly pudgy boy said, pointing at the large toad in a cage. "He doesn't like it much, but I feel better knowing that at least he'll get to Hogwarts without getting lost."

"No, he doesn't look like he likes it."

"He's a toad!" the Weasley boy said. "How can you tell if he's happy or not?"

"Neville can, can't you? It's called experience. That's what you eventually get after working at something. The harder you work, the quicker you get it, and the easier the job becomes."

Ron looked confused for a moment, then his face changed as another thought entered it.

"Why aren't you in Gryffindor. I've seen you wearing a sword some times. I heard about your fight with Snape. How come you're not a Lion?"

"Perhaps because I realize that bravery isn't the most important thing; companions are. It's a lot easier being brave when you have someone you can trust watching your back. It's a lot harder to be brave when you are alone.

"But then, maybe that's just me. How was your summers?" he asked the group. After catching up, he moved back to his own compartment, and relaxed with a book. The others there, being Hufflepuffs, lowered their voices to not disturb him.

Harry smiled. Companions were good.

ADND

Harry watched the sorting without much enthusiasm. He felt disconnected from the school, with the students, with the world. He liked the magic he was learning, and he didn't seem to be losing any of his old skills, but sometimes he realized that he just wasn't as fast as before. This was really starting to bother him.

He watched as the children were sorted. Luna ended up in Ravenclaw, and the littlest Weasley in Gryffindor like her brothers. Dumbledore gave no warning about painful deaths, to Harry's relief. The new defense instructor reminded Harry more of a thief than a fighter. He reserved judgment.

After the feast, Professor Sprout invited him to the headmaster's office. They went together, which didn't seem to please Dumbledore when he got there.

The first part went quickly because Harry wasn't in a mood to be gregarious. Yes, he had a good summer. Yes, he spent it at the Tonks. Yes, he went with them to France. No, he wasn't interested in staying in this world; as a matter of fact, he is getting increasingly anxious to go home.

Dumbledore frowned at that. Harry wasn't supposed to think of the other world as 'home'. Obviously, he wasn't forming the attachments that he should have.

"Was there anything else, Headmaster?"

"Yes, one or two more things. I was wondering if you would re-consider taking potions."

"With Potion Master Snape? No. Won't even consider it."

"I wish you could put your childishness aside. . . ."

"He. Attacked. Me. There is nothing childish about that. He did it once, I'm expecting him to do it again, and then he will really pay. Was there anything else."

"Yes, I was wondering about your future living arrangements. With Nymphadora. . ."

"Who?"

"Nymphadora."

"Who?"

"Miss Tonks."

"Why didn't you say so."

"You're not on a first name basis with her?"

"I do her the courtesy of calling her by the name she requested I call her."

"Yes, well, her name is Nymphadora Tonks whether she likes it or not. But with her entry into Auror Training, I was thinking you would need a new place to stay while on holiday."

"I can take care of myself."

"I'm sure you can, but I just want you to know that the offer by the Weasley's is still open; they will let you stay with them during the breaks from school."

"Please give them my thanks and regrets. I will stay were I deem best."

"I just want to make sure you're safe, my boy."

"Which brings up another point, Headmaster. Are you going to inform me of your plans?"

"What plans?"

"Whatever it is for which you pulled me out of my world. The reason why you want me here so desperately. Why you won't expel me. It must be quite the scheme to go to all this trouble."

"I really have only your best interests at heart."

Harry stood up. "And on that lie, I'm going to bed. Good evening Professor, Headmaster," and he strode out of the room.

"He's got a sharp mind," Pomona said to Dumbledore.

"Perhaps too sharp. He's in danger and he's dangerous."

"Harry? He wouldn't hurt a fly that didn't sting him. It seems to me, he's only dangerous to those who try to hurt him. Have you heard some of the stories he tells?"

"Yes, and while I'm sure many are exaggerations, and other are complete falsehoods, I know for a fact that he is deadly with his sword and that knife of his. It's a very magical knife, you know. I can feel it whenever he wears it, which is almost all the time."

"I still say he isn't dangerous unless someone attacks him."

"But with the pure-bloods gunning for him, it's just a matter of time before that happens."

"Well, maybe you should call in the pure-bloods and explain their danger to them."

"They wouldn't keep their mouths closed. Pretty soon, the board would be clambering to get the boy expelled."

"None of this tells me why he's in your plans, Albus."

"Harry has a destiny, Pomona. He needs to train and prepare to meet it. If he leaves, he may miss his chance which would be disastrous to us all."

"So he was right. You have something planned."

"Planned? Not at this time. But Fate probably does."

Sprout shook her head and took her leave.

ADND ADND

_Aug. 31_

_Dear Tonks, _

_I'm sorry I'm not ready for a serious relationship. Until I resolve this world thing, I just can't. _

_I hope we can still be friends._

_You've been gone several days. How is training going?_

_Tomorrow I start Hogwarts for a second year. Write me there._

_Your friend,_

_Ranger Harry._

Tonks folded up the letter from Harry. She could be of two minds about it, but the phrase 'hope we can still be friends' from Harry Ranger meant exactly what it said. He realized he was rejecting her as a girlfriend, but didn't want to lose her friendship.

And that was a hopeful sign, as she still wanted to become his girlfriend, and this said that the door was still open.

She went to sleep, exhausted from training, but happy.

ADND ADND ADND

Classes started the next day, and Harry adjusted his plans again. Wednesdays were one of the better days; he had Transfigurations for an hour mid-morning, double Charms with the Slytherins after lunch, and Defense at the end of the day.

In his first two classes, he collected points for Hufflepuff house by being the first to learn the spell the class was on. This strengthened his resolve for what he wanted to do that evening.

The Defense professor appeared to be a fool. The "test" he gave to start the class had nothing about defense and everything about Lockhart. Harry fought to keep his patience. He would give him one more lesson to actually start teaching. Harry felt he didn't have time to waste.

That evening, as the students gathered in the great hall, Harry went to the Ravenclaw table. He asked, and was directed to a group of 4th years. They looked at him in shock as he asked to sit with them. They made room, and Harry layed out his plan.

"I don't belong here. I'm the oldest student here and, nothing against you, but I'd rather not be in school. I'm pretty good at the practical aspects of magic, the actual casting. What I'd like to do is hire you to teach me the 4th year spells that you are learning. Is anyone interested?"

"Hire us? You mean all of us?" one boy asked.

"Exactly. I want to learn as quick as I can, and figured I can learn the fourth year spells at the same time as the third, skip the theory unless you think I should learn it, and maybe take the fourth year exams at the end of the year to skip fourth year next year."

"So we all tutor you?"

"Yes, but you don't all have to do it at the same time. I'm hiring the group of you, you can either all share alike, or work out who taught what and decide who gets what part of the entire payment. I just insist that when we have time scheduled, we work."

They agreed on a price, and Harry ended up hiring the entire year, as everyone wanted a piece of the action.

He returned to his own table to eat.

ADND ADND ADND ADND

It was the following Tuesday before the third year Hufflepuffs had Defense with the Ravenclaws. Harry had been talking with students from all the houses in various grades, and he was sure he knew what was coming.

It was worse than expected. The other students he talked to said that Lockhart presents "reenactments" of his battles, usually with some volunteer to act as a prop.

There had been one class, the second year Gryffindors and Slytherin class, where he brought in something called pixies, which he wanted the students to return to their cage. However, he didn't teach them any spells to do this, and from what he heard, only Miss Granger had had any success in stopping them. Harry had searched her out to lean the stasis charm from her.

Harry sat there as Lockhart described his encounter with the Dark Wizard of Dry Gulch in the country called the United States. He didn't ask for anyone to help him, as he acted out the activity, moving from one side of the classroom to another, aiming at the non-existent Dark Wizard with his wand, telling the class which spells he used and which ones he dodged. At the end of the two hour class he gave a bow, and smiled at the students. Harry raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Ranger?"

"When will you teach us the cutting curse that you used to kill the wizard."

"I'm afraid that is much too dangerous for third years. Don't worry, you'll grow."

"What about the shield spell that blocked the disemboweling curse?"

"Er, that one is too difficult for your level."

Harry stood up. "Do you actually know any of the spells that that you claimed to use?" the tone of his voice and glare that Harry gave Lockhart as he said this made the foppish professor step back as if threatened.

"Of...of course, Mr. Ranger."

"Then let me tell you what is going to happen. You are going to start teaching _all _the students in this school the spells that they need to learn. We have Defense again at the end of the day tomorrow. If by that time you haven't started teaching magic, I will force you to demonstrate, at least this class, how to defend yourself, because I will attack you. Do you understand?"

"You can't attack a teacher!"

"That's it exactly. Be a teacher, and I won't attack you. Keep being an entertainer, and I'll force you to at least show us your defense skills."

"You're only a third year. What can you do against me?"

"Ask Professor Snape!" With that, Harry turned and walked out of the classroom. He watched the students as he passed them - any change in their faces or where their eyes were looking, and he would dodge. But Lockhart, unlike Snape, didn't try to attack him when his back was turned.

Lockhart canceled his two other defense classes that morning. The story of his threat spread through the school at lunch. At dinner, an exuberant first year named Collin reported that Lockhart had tried to show them some spells, but none of the ones he tried worked, and none of the instructions worked for the students.

Harry just smirked. Especially when dinner came around, and he was informed that the Headmaster wanted to see him.

Sprout and he entered Dumbledore's office to see Lockhart also there.

"Mr. Ranger. I am very disappointed in you, threatening a teacher."

"I didn't threaten a teacher."

"Did you not tell professor Lockhart that you would attack him?"

"I told Mr. Lockhart that, yes."

"Professor, please, Harry."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because, as I understand the term, a teacher or professor _teaches. _Mr. Lockhart is an entertainer. A fairly good one, I'll grant, but he has not taught the students - any of them in any of the years - a single defensive spell. You run a school of magic, right headmaster?"

"The best in Britain!"

"Then if this man isn't teaching magic, he isn't a teacher."

"Mr. Ranger, I don't think you are in a position to dictate how the teachers do their jobs."

"I am not. However, I am in a position to insist that they _do _their jobs. If I'm not learning magic from this man, why am I paying tuition? I paid good gold, I want real teaching. I heard how his afternoon class went. Did you, headmaster?"

"No."

Harry turned to the so-called professor. "Mr. Lockhart, would you like to give your description of the class? I've already heard from the students, but you now have the opportunity to defend yourself."

"I started teaching them the shield charm. It is a difficult spell, and none of them succeeded."

"And did you successfully demonstrate it for them?"

"I don't see how that has any baring on this discussion!"

"From the reports I had, you were unable to put up a shield yourself. You were attempting to teach a spell that you yourself cannot do.

"You had a seventh year N.E.W.T. class after that. What did you teach them."

"I, er, had to cancel as I wasn't feeling good."

"Headmaster, I contend that this man is a fraud. He's not a teacher. I'm beginning to doubt he's a magic user."

Lockhart stood up, angry look on his face. But Harry could see the fear in his eyes.

"I have never been so insulted in my life! Headmaster Dumbledore, I can no longer continue at this school if this is the type of respect an Order of Merlin, fourth class, Award winner can expect to receive here. You will have my letter of resignation in the morning!" And he stomped out of the office.

Dumbledore actually looked pleased. Harry looked at his head of house, and they both broke out laughing.

Harry stood up, and faced Dumbledore. The mirth quickly disappearing on his face.

"Perhaps, Headmaster, you would do well to replace that ghost you have teaching at the same time you get a replacement for the popinjay who just left. As stated, I paid good gold. I expect value." And he too left the office without a look backwards.

Professor Sprout still had the smile on her face as she turned to the headmaster. "Don't you just hate it when they're right?" She, too, took her leave.

ADND ADND ADND ADND

The Defense position remained empty for a week until a tall, black auror name Shacklebolt took the position. He got right to work teaching defense. Harry learned the shield spell the first day he had class with the man, and was impressed with his skill and knowledge.

He stopped going to History, using the time to study fourth year spells. He was called to Dumbledore's office about that, but unless Dumbledore expelled him, he wasn't going to accept punishment for not attending a class most people used for nap time.

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

_Sept 20_

_Dear Harry,_

_I thought we were in shape. Boy, was I mistaken. We have to run an hour each morning. We lift weights and do exercises after that. Then we have spell practice followed by lectures. We're learning how to detect spell residue, wards, and magical traps. We will be learning potion analysis, ward breaking, and magical combat in the coming months. The head instructor of the academy, Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody, has only one leg and one eye, and can still beat the whole class in a battle. We will learn so much from him. We have to survive him first._

_Rumor has it that there's an investigation of your former defense professor. They think he stole other people's work and wrote it up in his books as the one who did the rescues, defeated various monsters, and saved the day. _

_Meanwhile, you are getting one of our instructors; Kingsley Shacklebolt was our physical trainer, although the word in the academy is that he's wicked with a wand, too._

_I miss going out at night. I'm not allowed to currently. But even if I was, I am too tired at night to do anything more than collapse. After we get through "basic training" we get more freedom. _

_By the way, I miss you,_

_Tonks_

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

_Oct. 15_

_Dear Tonks, _

_Word from France is "You have interesting magical residue about you, but it gives us no help in targeting a gateway to your former world." In other words, I'm out of luck. _

_Meanwhile, your training sounds brutal. I must say, that the best training I had was also brutal. The man who took me in as his own child was a kind, considerate, gentle man. My master who trained me, however, was a vicious, no nonsense task master. And both my master and my foster father were the same man. When it comes time for me to train a Ranger, I wonder if I'll be able to box up my life and keep the parts so separate._

_It's the middle of October. Please be careful around All Hallows Eve. I realize that in your culture it is not a dangerous day, but in mine it is. So make me feel better and keep a sharp lookout that day._

_Things have been almost boring here. I say almost, but I have been kept busy doing both the third and fourth year work. Perhaps the word I'm looking for is 'normal'. And yet, I feel a growing sense of unease._

_Your friend,_

_Harry_

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

All Hallows fell on a Sunday this year, and so All Hallows Eve found Harry pacing the castle without even class to distract him. He even spent part of the afternoon in the forest, but the Centaurs didn't offer any encouragement and Umbriago, even though he was fun to be around, wasn't much of a conversationalist.

At least there were no indications that there were trolls around.

Finally the feast arrived, and Harry quietly talked with a prefect form each house. The Gryffindor Prefect, Percy Weasley, informed him that three of his house were missing. There were two seventh year 'Puffs missing, but Harry was pretty sure that they would be found in the dorm, as they were very good friends, and would use this time to get some privacy. Luna was missing from Ravenclaw, and no one was unaccounted for in Slytherin.

Harry was able to find out that the three second year Gryffs were at some sort of ghostly party. Harry didn't like that, but he was told that there was no danger from these ghosts. He just didn't believe it.

Heading over to the Ravenclaw table, Harry saw some third year 'Claws snickering when he was asking about Luna. He zeroed in on them, and intimidated them into telling him that she was locked in a broom closet on the fourth floor. Harry stalked out of the Great Hall with a look on his face that said "primed and dangerous." He made his way to the fourth floor, and found the broom closet with Luna in it. He unlocked it and was attacked by a blond body leaping on him and hugging him tight. He held the trembling girl for a while, then stood up, still holding her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, as he started walking. "I don't like being locked up, especially in the dark."

"I don't blame you. I was often locked in a closet when I was little. I think it was fear, loneliness, and sadness that caused my magic to leap me into another world. Do you want me to take you to your room, or are you hungry?"

"I am rather hungry," she said.

"Excellent. Then let's get back to the feast."

"You came just to get me?" she asked, surprise in her voice.

"Sure." She hugged him tighter. Harry carried her most of the way back to the Great Hall. He let her down before they actually went in, hand in hand. He took Luna to the Hufflepuff table, and they both continued the feast.

Much to the confusion or humor of the rest of the school, Harry and Luna spent the rest of the feast talking about nature - magical and mundane plants and animals and their habitats. As everyone was getting up, Harry had a quick word with one of the Ravenclaw Prefects about Luna's bullying. Penelope Clearwater assured him that she would take steps to stop it. He thanked her, and followed the crowd.

Movement was almost stopped as they got to the Entrance Hall. 'Puffs and 'Gryffs were heading the other way because the hall was too full of people, but they couldn't tell Harry what was happening, only that no one was moving.

"Shall we check it out?"

"Oh, yes, please," Luna replied. Harry pushed through the crowd and reached the Entrance Hall. The students were just waiting around, as there seemed to be some problem on the first landing of the great staircase going up. The students here were saying that someone killed Filch's cat. Harry continued pushing through but directed the 'Puffs and Slytherins to head for their dorms, since they were in lower levels, and didn't need to go up the stairs.

"Why?" one Slytherin asked. "If it's true, I'd like to see the look on the old squib."

"The old squib still has the power to give detention. Think he won't want revenge on anyone who looks happy about what happened?" Harry replied. It took only a moment for the Slytherins to head to their dorm. The Puffs had already started, since 'someone in authority' had told them what to do. Harry suggested the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors head to alternate routes to get to their dorms and he would fill them in on what he knew once he actually knew something. After that, the Hall was much less crowded and Harry and Luna were able to make their way up the staircase to the landing.

The Entrance Hall seemed a very strange room to Harry. The great staircase was certainly impressive; the height of the room, also, made it impressive; but all that height didn't _do_ anything. Yes, there was a great big stained glass window on the front wall with the Hogwarts crest, and another window high up the back wall with a big H on it, but that didn't make the space useable.

Harry was esthetically utilitarian.

The broad landing, where the stairway split into two staircases that went off in opposite direction, contained most of the teaching staff and a few students. The back wall had large red letters on it saying _The Chamber of Secrets has been opened_ and on the second line _Enemies of the heir beware. _

Filch's cat was hanging on the wall below the sign, and looked stiff as a board.

The three missing Gryffindors were in the midst of the teachers, who seemed between cross examining them sympathetically and torturing them for information. Admittedly, only Filch was in the latter group, although Snape looked like he would help.

Longbottom, Weasley, and Granger kept protesting their innocence.

Harry came up and asked, "So where was this ghostly celebration held?"

Hermione looked like a drowning person had suddenly tossed her a lifeline.

"It was in a lower dungeon, about two levels below the potions classroom."

"How did _you_ know about the Death Day party, Potter?" Snape asked with a sneer.

"I asked the Gryffindors during the feast where any missing students might be. I didn't want a repeat of last year."

"Very thorough, Harry," Dumbeldore said. "But it doesn't tell us what happened here."

Harry looked around. The staircase was marble. He walked over to the sign and touched a letter, dry. He sniffed it, but there was no smell.

"The letters are magically protected, Mr. Ranger. Until we break the wards, we can't tell anything about them," Defense Professor Shaklebolt said.

"Yes we can. Whoever did this had much more than a fourth year education, since nothing I've learned would have allowed me to put up wards. You might have a better guess as to the age, considering you might know when students would get taught something like this.

"The cat is held up by a sticking charm, and any second year, and many first years might be able to do that. I didn't start checking to see who was missing until after the students were seated and didn't pay attention to who came in last. A Slytherin. . ."

"How dare you accuse my of my students!" Snape snarled. "This is the blatant discrimination that my house has to put up with all the time!"

"If I could finish," Harry said calmly. "A Slytherin or Hufflepuff coming up from their dorms wouldn't have seen it from below. These letters are not very high on the wall. Even I couldn't see them until my eyes were level with the landing. So if it turns out that a Hufflepuff or Slytherin was the last one into the Great Hall, that doesn't condemn them."

Shacklebolt nodded his head. "Very good analysis, Mr. Ranger. As to the age of the writer, these wards are beyond simple disenchantment. That says they were designed by someone far beyond what is taught here. Yet it is possible that a student was taught them by an older wizard or witch. It doesn't necessarily rule anyone out."

"Any clues from the cat? Tonks tells me that aurors are trained in spell residue detection?"

"Indeed. But this is no spell I can detect."

"What does that mean?" Harry asked. "Could someone else detect it?"

"It means it was probably not a spell," Luna spoke up for the first time. "It could be something else; a poison, a potion." Harry turned to the Potion Master.

"The cat is petrified. There is no potion and no poison I know of that could do that."

"Then, what of the sign itself? What is the Chamber of Secrets?"

Snape answered with his usual acid tones. "Theoretically, Salazar Slytherin created it in the castle someplace, but no one has ever found it. It is supposed to hold his monster, which no one knows what it is, either."

"So that's like Helga Hufflepuff's secret rooms?"

"Perhaps," Dumbledore said. "But Hufflepuff didn't leave a monster in her rooms."

Harry thought for a moment, "Do you think all four founders had their own apartments hidden in the castle?"

"If they did, no one has ever found them," Dumbledore said.

"Yes, but we have a threat and attack to consider. Auror Shacklebolt, what other options do we have for figuring out who did this?"

"As you pointed out, we have no suspects, and very little chance of finding the perpetrator."

"Suspects. . . . We can question suspects, can't we?" Harry asked.

"But we don't have any," the auror pointed out.

"Maybe we do. There was an incident on the train ride in September. A second year implied that some students would be dead by the end of the year."

Snape, for the first time had an expression other than his normal sneer. For the briefest moment, his face showed surprise, yet Harry saw it. It then hardened into anger.

"You have anything to add, Potion Master Snape? You seem to know what I'm talking about, even though I never told anyone about the incident. Care to enlighten us?"

"As you said, a second year student. Hardly someone who would or could deal out death."

"If you truly felt the student was innocent, you wouldn't be trying to deflect suspicion. You'd get him up here and prove he didn't have anything to hide." Harry turned to Shacklebolt. "I say we get him up here and find out what he knows, and maybe what the Potions Master knows."

"I have full confidence in Professor Snape," Dumbledore said.

"Good, and someone killed a cat and threatened the rest of the school. Either help us find the culprit, or get out of the way.

Dumbledore replied angrily, "_I _am the headmaster of this school! I say what we do."

Dumbledore's anger washed over the Ranger without affecting him. Harry had had worse people angry at him _and_ they were trying to kill him at the time. Harry felt Dumbledore might be a powerful wizard, but he was wondering if it was all political power. He certainly didn't seem to do anything with his magic.

"Well, then?" Harry asked him.

"Well, what?" Dumbledore responded.

"Well, aren't you going to do anything to find out who did this?"

The teachers and what students were around all turned towards Dumbledore expectantly. He suddenly looked like he didn't want to be the center of attention.

"Oh, very well. Who is this student."

"Potion Master?" Harry said, turning towards Snape, who looked at him murderously.

"It's Draco Malfoy."

"And has Mr. Malfoy made other remarks about dangers in this school that you have heard?"

"What the students say in the common room is considered private. No one will speak of what happens there."

"You didn't answer the question, which is itself an answer," Harry said, turning away from Snape dismissively. He looked over the students still in the Entrance Hall and smiled.

"Mr. Malfoy! Could you join us please."

Malfoy suddenly turned pale (or at least paler) and looked like he wanted to run.

"Yes, please, Mr. Malfoy. Come join us," Shacklebolt said.

"I knew Malfoy was behind it!" the Weasly who was with the first group to find the cat said.

"10 points from Gryffindor for unfounded accusations."

"Any points from Slytherin for when he called Hermione a 'mudblood?'" Ron rejoined.

"When did that happen?" Harry asked, interrupting Snape again.

"When he said that Hermione would be the next killed."

"I didn't!" Malfoy protested, having joined the group on the landing.

"You did! You liar!" Weasley yelled

"Another 10 points. . . ." Snape began.

"QUIET!" Harry yelled. He looked at Weasley, "Not another word unless you are asked a question. This is an investigation! Not a children's brawl!" Any satisfaction Draco might have felt from Ron being yelled out fled as a seriously _dangerous _Harry Potter turned on Malfoy. But before he could say anything, Snape interrupted.

"Headmaster, I must protest this . . . _student _. . . acting like he's in charge."

"He's doing a very good job from my _professional _point of view," Shaklebolt said in Harry's defense.

"Indeed," McGonagall added. "He appears to be getting to the heart of the matter. I see no reason to interrupt him."

Harry nodded in thanks to both professors, and turned towards Dumbledore. "Well. You are the headmaster. Are you going to investigate, or shall I continue?"

Dumbledore faced Malfoy.

"Mr. Malfoy, do you have any knowledge of what happened here?"

"No I do not."

"Nothing at all?"

"No, headmaster," and now Malfoy was half smiling, "I have no knowledge of what occurred."

"Well, then, that's that."

"WHAT!" Weasley cried. "He threatened Hermione!"

"QUIET!" Harry yelled at Ron again as Malfoy denied it. He looked at the headmaster, who gave the sigh of the greatly put upon.

"Mr. Malfoy, did you threaten Miss Granger."

"I most certainly did not."

"Alright then," Dumbledore said, turning away towards the Griffindor side steps, which was the quickest way to his office, "we shall. . . ."

But whatever he was going to 'shall', Harry was having none of it.

"You're really bad at this, aren't you. Why not admit that your out of your depth and let a professional do it?"

"Mr. Ranger!" McGonagall exclaimed.

"Yes, Professor?"

"You will be respectful to the headmaster!"

"I was showing enough respect to be honest with him, which is more than he's shown to me."

"What would you have me do, Mr. Ranger?" Dumbledore almost growled at him.

"Let Auror Shacklebolt investigate. I'm sure he's had more experience ferreting out the truth from crime scene witnesses than you."

"Very well, Mr. Shacklebolt?"

"Mr. Ranger, may I have your opinion on the line of questioning you would pursue?" the auror asked.

"At this point, we have two contradictory statements, that Mr. Malfoy threatened Miss Granger, or that he didn't. There were probably a lot of witnesses around, so lets ask them."

"You can't do that!" Malfoy yelled. "The headmaster already agreed that I didn't threaten her."

"Little boy," Harry growled with a glare that made Malfoy step back. "You are about to find out that your word doesn't carry much weight in the world. Would you like to state for the rest of us, what you actually said?"

"I, er, don't remember exactly."

Harry held up a hand to forestall Ron from saying something again. "Then please give us the gist of what what you said, or an approximation?"

"I, uh, said it looks like the cat got it?"

"Miss Granger, I know you have near perfect recall for things you read in a book. Is your memory as good for things heard?"

"Not as good, but not as bad as Malfoy's appears to be. He read part of the wall, 'Enemies of the heir beware' and then said to me, 'You're next, mudblood.' or perhaps he said, 'You'll be next, mudblood.'"

"Thank you. Anything to add to her recounting the incident? Mr. Longbottom?" The boy shook his head. "Mr. Weasley?"

"Yes, he said it with a smile!"

Harry turned to Malfoy, his face the impassive mask he'd worn most of the questioning. "Care to change your story, Mr. Malfoy?"

"No, they're just trying to get me in trouble!"

"And if we were to bring up more of the students who might have heard you, would they remember your version, or Miss Granger's version?"

Draco squirmed but stated, "I don't know."

"Why did you say something to the effect that she would be dead by the end of the school year while we were on the train?" Harry had moved next to the bannister, and was rubbing his hand over the smooth marble surface.

"I didn't!"

Harry slammed his hand on the banister, making a loud crack. Several people around them jumped at the sudden noise. Harry stalked towards Draco, a look of fury on his face.

"Now you're really getting _me_ angry! I was there. _I_ _heard you! _ Now you will tell us what you know and you will do it now!"

Harry had pushed his face right up to Malfoy's.

"My father. . . my father said. . ." but then he seemed to regain his nerve. "When my father hears about this. . . ."

Harry spun on his heel and took a few steps away. "Auror Shacklebolt? Let's get his father in here. I'm sure he can tell us more about what happened here."

Shacklebolt waved Harry over and spoke in quiet tones so no one else could overhear.

"While I agree with you, we don't have enough cause to pull him in for questioning. He's a very influential man and adviser to the Minister."

"Politics!" Harry spat. "Even in Paladin's James' court, there's intrigue. I think we go some where private and question Snape."

"Think he knows something?"

"He knows what he's heard from little Malfoy."

"Let me handle this. As an auror and fellow teacher, plus the one Dumbledore said to investigate, as well as the fact that he hates your guts for some reason, I think I better do this."

Harry, concurred.

Shacklebolt sent the children to their own common rooms. Harry made sure Luna had an escort from one of the fourth years that he was paying to tutor him. The teachers retired, and Harry was thanked by Dumbledore, and told to go to his common room, too. Harry acquiesced because he knew that Shacklebolt would update him later. The cat had been taken down and sent to the infirmary, along with its unfriendly owner. Soon Harry was alone on the landing, overlooking the Entrance Hall. True, anyone could have come through the main doors, cursed the cat, written the message, and escaped, but Harry's instincts told him someone in the school did it.

He stood there in thought, then headed down the steps. But instead of going down the steps to the basement, he took the other ones to the dungeon. He wasn't as familiar with this area of the castle; not having potions, he had no reason to come down here. He found another staircase leading down, and followed it. This level had a very unused feel to it. The rooms were empty of even desks and chairs. He wasn't sure what this had been used for, but now it wasn't even used for storage.

The next level down found him in the ghostly party. Nearly Headless Nick was very pleased to see him. He allowed Nick to show him off. Then he took an opportunity the ghost gave him.

"Greetings fellow inhabitants of Hogwarts. Tonight, the caretaker's cat was attacked, and a sign warns of further attacks. One child, who seems to know what's going on, thinks there will be murders before the school year is out. I would like your help in patrolling the castle. Watch for any suspicious actions, any strangers in the castle, any more attacks. We don't know how they did it, but I'm pretty sure they'll do it again. Your help will be appreciated."

After that, he got out as quickly as politeness allowed. He really, _really_ didn't like ghosts.

Author Note: The idea of Luna being locked in a broom closet comes from Rorschach's Blot's ideas file.

Note 2: Fixed a couple of spelling mistakes. I blame lack of sleep. Thanks for pointing them out.


	9. 9 The Chamber of Secrets

**Disclaimer: ** Not mine! Hers! Blame Her!

**Chapter 9**

Shacklebolt did meet with Harry the next day to discuss what occurred.

"Snape only knows that a plot has been put in place that will rid the school of muggle-born. It does seem to have originated with Malfoy's father."

"And we still can't do anything about him?"

"No."

"How about outside the law? Pick him up, beat him up until he tells us what's going on?"

"I'm an auror. I can't condone that. We have to work by the book. However, I have informed my boss. Dumbledore wasn't happy about that, let me tell you."

"He's going to be even more unhappy if he reads the upcoming Quibbler."

"Oh, give another interview?"

"No. It just happened that we interviewed Malfoy while a reporter for the magazine was on the landing with us."

Shaklebolt's eyes widened in surprise. "And we didn't notice?"

Harry shrugged. "She's a student. This will be her first article. I promised to help her write it, as long as my name doesn't show up as an author. Talking about politics! That would be stepping right into it."

The Defense professor agreed.

Harry explained his recruitment of the ghosts, and his other plan.

"Assuming the Chamber of Secrets is important to this scheme, I'll begin searching for it in the lower dungeons. The Slytherins seem to like it, the slugs, so I'll start there. There's a good chance that I won't find it, but just in case. . . . And I'll feel better doing something."

"Keep me informed. Did you really find Hufflepuff's secret chambers the first day in the castle?"

"I saw the door the first day. It was a few weeks after that that I hunted down the opening mechanism."

"Well, good luck with your search."

ADND

It was about two weeks later, the search of the dungeons had led to the discovery of an old, unused classroom hidden behind a suit of armor, a corridor with barred cells through a secret door, and an empty broom closet with an unnoticeability spell on the door and a large, comfy chair inside a few dozen paces from the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room.

Yesterday, the Slytherins had beat the Gryffindors at their strange flying game, Quidditch. The Gryffindors had dominated the game, point wise, until the capture of the little golden ball by Malfoy.

This morning, though, there was something wrong. It began at the Gryff's table, and spread from there to the 'Claws, and finally reached the 'Puffs. Someone was attacked last night - a first year Gryff was in the hospital. Harry got up and headed there.

There were a number of first years outside the hospital wing. They were sitting on benches that seemed to be there for visitors who were waiting to see friends. From them, he learned the name of the student, Colin Creevey. Harry tried the door, but it was locked. He knocked.

"Yes? Mr. Ranger, isn't it? Are you injured?" the healer asked.

"No, Healer Pomfrey. . . ."

"Then go away. No visitors allowed."

"By who's orders?"

"Dumbledore's."

Harry nodded, and said, "I'll be back with permission. Meanwhile, what is the extent of his injuries?"

"I can't tell you that."

"You will, Healer Pomfrey, when I come back." Harry hurried away.

He went to the Great Hall first, under the assumption that Dumbledore would be there. He wasn't, but Defense Professor Shacklebolt was.

"Professor, you heard the rumors?"

"Yes, Mr. Ranger. I was hoping that Dumbledore would come down and explain it."

"I'm looking for him now. We need more information, and I'm afraid that the longer we take, the colder the trail is going to get."

"You are right. Let's go to his office."

They made their way up three flights of stairs to the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Reaching the door, there was a "Come in, Kingsley, Harry," from Dumbledore.

The investigators entered.

"You heard?" Dumbledore asked.

"We should have heard from you!" Harry spat out. "What happened?"

"Minerva was going down to the kitchens for some hot chocolate. She found him in the corridor between the central staircase and the Entrance Hall on the first floor. He had a tray of snacks that he probably got from the kitchens. Besides that, we don't know anything."

"And the extent of his injuries?"

"Petrified, like Argus' cat."

"Can it be reversed?"

"Yes, once the mandrakes are matured, Professor Snape can create a reviving potion."

Harry looked at the two older men. "What could cause the petrification?"

"I would guess a very powerful spell, but I don't know of any spell that would do that."

"Yet you have a potion that will reverse the effects?"

"Yes."

Harry put hit palm to his face in frustration. "What. Causes. The. Effect. That. The. Potion. Is. Used. To. Counter?" This was the greatest wizard in the world? He wondered.

"A medusa or a cockatrice. I've heard of spell misfires that have caused partial petrification. I think it's a side effect of a muscle strengthening spell that goes wrong. There are two poisons, both made from cockatrice parts, that will cause petrification, but it isn't instantaneous, taking three days for the more expensive, difficult one, and over a week for the other. They both have similar effects, though, starting at the extremities, and slowly working towards the core. Due to the time it takes, they usually aren't fatal as the victims can get cured."

"So Mr. Creevey is dead? How can he be revived? You haven't any clerics like ours on this world."

"He is just petrified, my boy," Dumbledore said, condescendingly. "He'll be right as rain as soon as the potion is given."

"And how soon until that happens? He may have information on his attacker."

"The mandrakes won't be ready until spring."

"And you will leave a student petrified that long?"

"He's perfectly fine. Just petrified."

"Anything else you can tell us, Headmaster Dumbledore?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore just smiled and shook his head.

"Let's go, auror. We have work to do."

"What more could you possibly do?"

Harry looked at the headmaster angrily and said, "Lots."

As they left the spiral staircase, Harry asked, "So, was he ignorant or trying to hide something?"

"I'd say ignorant. Otherwise, he could have tried to keep us from the investigation through misdirection or stonewalling."

"Alright, so he's not necessarily a suspect. You should talk to Professor McGonagall; you're both teachers. I'll talk to the Gryffindors, and whoever gets done first goes to the kitchens. Oh, and can you get some of that reviving potion? I'm not familiar enough with your world to know where you would get something like that."

"Yes. And we might want to bring in the real aurors, too."

Harry found out that the Gryffindors had a party after the game, despite the loss. They consoled themselves with the fact that they gained so many more points during the regular part of the game, the Slytherins played violently and Referee Hooch didn't catch all the infractions, and their opponents had been given new, faster brooms from Malfoy's father. They had butterbeer and harder stuff, and lots of snacks. However, during the party the snacks had started to run low, so Colin was ordered to go get some more from the kitchens.

"Why Colin?"

Olliver Wood, who was answering most of the questions, shrugged. "He knew where the kitchens were. He's also a bit taken advantage of - he's very excited to be a wizard, and will do just about anything an older witch or wizard asks if they show him some new magic."

"Did he go alone?"

"I think so. I don't think anyone went with him." None of the others around thought he went with anyone. He got an approximate time from the students. One student thought he remembered Colin leaving with someone, but wasn't paying attention. Harry left the common room.

Standing outside the portrait guarded entrance, he thought about what he heard and what he knew and didn't know.

"Are you going to stand out here all day, young man?" the painting asked him.

"Just thinking. I wonder if you might answer some questions?"

ADND ADND

"We probably can't get the potion until tomorrow," Shacklebolt told him. "The apothecary isn't open on Sundays. St. Mungo's might have some. I haven't checked. Did the elves have anything useful?"

"No, just that he came alone around eight thirty, which corresponds to when he's said to have left the Gryff common room. However, I found a whole bunch of witnesses who said he wasn't alone when he started."

"Really? Who was with him."

"Genevra Weasley. She left him somewhere around the third floor, and later returned to the Gryffindor tower alone."

"That doesn't make sense. The Weasleys have been on the Light side for, well, forever. There's never been a Weasley who was accused of being a Dark Wizard."

"Question, do we take her in for questioning now, or after we have the potion. If she can petrify someone with a spell, it might be safer to have only one of us approach her, and the other ready with the potion, just in case."

"Agreed. I'll check with St. Mungo's."

"Did Professor McGonagall have any helpful information?"

"Yes, he had put down the box of snacks, and was trying to take a picture of his assailant at the time he was hit by the spell. It probably destroyed his camera; when they checked it to see if he succeeded in capturing his assailant, the film was burned."

"Another piece of the puzzle that doesn't make any sense."

ADND ADND ADND

While Auror Shacklebolt checked into getting some of the reviving potion from someplace, Harry went back to the hospital wing. Most of the first year Gryffindors were still there. He noticed that the littlest Weasley was there and that she looked like she was very upset and had been crying.

"I'll try to get you in to see him, if you wait a bit."

Harry knocked, and once again, Pomfrey tried to keep him out.

"Sorry, Healer, but this time I do have permission to see Mr. Creevey."

"Very well, but I don't see what good it will do."

Harry wasn't sure either, but wanted to see for himself. As he was brought to the bed, he stopped suddenly, startled.

"He's been turned to stone!"

"Yes, Mr. Ranger. I thought everyone knew by now that he had been petrified."

"Yes, but I was thinking of the _Petrificus Totalus_ spell. It stiffens you up, but doesn't actually turn you to stone."

"Yes, well this is really stone."

"And a potion will restore him?"

"Yes. You just sort of pour it on the mouth, slowly, and as it works it's way in, it restores him. He'll be just fine by the end of the school year."

"Hopefully, by the end of today," Harry said.

"What? The mandrakes won't be ready for months!"

"Yes, but there's more mandrakes in the world than the castle hot-houses produce, and there's more sources of potions than Potion Master Snape."

"Well, yes, but. . . ."

"Is there any reason not to go elsewhere to get the potion?"

"It would be an insult to Professor Snape."

Harry was about to reply, when he thought about Journeyman Drisco, the leather worker. If Harry needed a scabbard, he'd give the Journeyman time to do it, rather than pick one up in Shrewsbury. Disco was part of the community of Blue Mountain. If he couldn't make a living there, he would have to move on, and Harry liked his work. He had made the straps that held Harry's Bag of Holding, as well as a number of other leather items Harry owned.

"Unfortunately, we can't wait. We think Colin will have information on the attacker. He was, after all, trying to take his picture." Harry indicated Colin's hands which were held up next to his face. "The sooner we find out what is going on, the more chance we have to avoid further attacks."

The healer nodded slowly.

"I have another question for you: do you have a private room here?" Harry asked, looking at the various doors in the walls of the large hall. Creevey's bed was surrounded by privacy curtains, but there seemed to be more doors than would be needed for just storage and restroom facilities.

"The teacher's room is unused at the moment. Professor Kettleburn has been very careful so far this year. Why?"

"Auror Shacklebolt and I will want some place private to conduct some interviews."

"I suppose you can use it."

"Good. Uh, is there any reason to keep his friends out? It will probably help them to see him, even if there's nothing they can do. At least they will have some facts, rather than just hear-say or rumor."

"But they have to leave him alone; chips and cracks while he's petrified can be very serious when he's revived."

"I'll guarantee than he's protected if you let me let his friends in."

"Very well. But this is a hospital, so they have to keep the noise down."

"I'll make sure of that, too."

Harry went to the door and looked out. About six first years were out there, including Genevra and Luna Lovegood, who appeared to be comforting her friend.

"As long as you don't touch him and don't make much noise, you can visit him."

They jumped up and crowded the door where Harry was standing.

"Calm down, relax, and follow me."

He led them to the statue that used to be Colin Creevey. This seemed to upset the Weasley girl even more.

"Don't worry. They'll soon have him fixed. Ginevra? Do you want to talk about it? You're very upset."

She shook her head, and ran out of the room.

"Alright, everyone out. I think I better find Miss Weasley before she does something that she'll regret. Out!"

"I'll try to follow her," Luna said, running after her friend.

Harry got the others out, and started using the new information source he had discovered.

He went up to a portrait, and asked, "Did you see one or two first year girls go running past?"

"Yes, they were in quite a hurry and went that way." He pointed the way that Harry was going. Harry took off running until he came to the central staircase. The tall room had portraits on all levels and in between.

Harry asked another painting, and went down two floor. Second floor was where the Library was, but it was also where he had been earlier in the day. He ran straight for the girl's bathroom where he was sure Weasley went. He looked in, but it was empty.

"You can't be in here. This is the girl's bathroom!"

Harry turned to the end of the room where he was sure no one had been a moment before. There was a ghost there. It appeared to be a student.

"Hello, Miss Ghost. I am Ranger Harry. Or, as they often call me, Harry Ranger. What is your name?" Harry included a bow in the introduction. He had heard of this ghost, and thought maybe if he flattered her, he would avoid her moaning.

The ghost was a little surprised at the formal greeting. "I'm Myrtle Huntington. I was killed in this very bathroom."

"I'm very sorry to hear that. You didn't see two girls come running in here, did you?"

"No. You're the first person in here today. Most people avoid this bathroom."

"Did you see anyone here last night?"

"No, I was, um, someplace else last night."

"Thank you. I'll probably be back."

"That's alright. I like talking to you, Ranger Harry."

Harry left and stood outside. If they didn't come here, where did they go. The only other major destination on the second floor was the Library. Harry went there.

Harry checked with the librarian, Miss Pince. He found out that the two girls had come in here, and were then told to leave, because the red headed one was crying too loudly.

Harry figured there were two places that Luna would take her, assuming Luna could direct her. One was the Gryffindor common room. The other was back to the hospital wing to get some calming potion. Harry had heard about it; sometimes things got too difficult for the students and they had anxiety attacks. Theoretically, the camaraderie of the 'Puffs kept that from happening too often, and the drive to have the best grades caused it to happen most often among the 'Claws.

Harry decided to try the Gryffindor tower under the assumption if Weasley got a calming potion, she would be put into a bed in the hospital. Heading up the main staircase he met Luna coming down.

"Hello, Luna."

"Hullo, Harry."

"How's your friend?"

"She's very upset, and I'm not sure why. This isn't like her."

"Maybe she was good friends with Colin?"

"Maybe. It's hard to know when we're in different houses. But when we have classes together, which is Transfigurations and Charms, they don't sit together very much."

Harry nodded. "What did you think of Colin? Ever hear of anything like that?"

"Cockatrice could do it, but you can't hide one of them. A Medusa, but if that were the case, I think there would be more statues. They tend to collect them."

"So I've heard. A gorgon would do it. . . ."

"'Gorgon' is just another name for a medusa. Actually, the three Gorgons were orignally cursed women, and one of them was named Medusa ," Luna explained.

"Not where I'm from. Medusa are women with snake hair, and gorgons are metal armored bulls. Basilisks could do it with a look. They're supposed to be really slow, though."

"I never heard that. And I didn't think they petrified you, I thought they killed you with a look."

"Maybe we're talking about different creatures with the same name again. Basilisk - eight legged lizard, big spike on its nose, turns people to stone with its gaze, will turn itself to stone if it looks at a reflection of its own eyes?"

"No. Basilisk, the king of snakes thus large, kills with a look. Oh, my!"

"What?"

"Can be killed by hearing a cock crow. All of Rubeus' roosters have been killed since school started."

"But Mr. Creevey was turned to stone, not killed."

"I'll have to look it up. Maybe I'm misremembering something."

"Alright, I'll go check with Games keeper Hagrid, you go to the library. Just be careful, alright?"

"You, too. If whoever it is thinks you are getting close, they will attack you."

Harry discovered that during the week or so before All Hallows Hagrid's roosters were killed. He didn't know anything else about it, except that his chickens were alright. Harry shook his head. Wizards! Didn't they have any common sense? A highly unusual event - just the roosters being killed, followed by another highly unusual event - the petrification of a cat, and he doesn't think to bring it up? Harry admitted that he wouldn't have known of the basilisk connection, but someone might!

He headed back into the castle.

Most of the morning was gone, so Harry made his way to the Great Hall for lunch. He didn't see Genevra, but did see her brothers. He went over to them.

"Hello Misters Weasley."

"Hello Mr. Ranger," one of the twins said.

"How may we help you again?" the other asked. He had interviewed them in their common room about Colin.

"Just worried about your sister. She was very upset when she saw Mr. Creevey in the hospital. She went running off, and a friend of hers took her back to your tower. Just want to make sure she's fine."

"She was in her dorm room last we heard."

"Hadn't left it since coming back with Luna."

"Keep an eye on her. I think the attacks are hitting her pretty hard."

"We will."

"Thanks for caring about our sister. You know she had a crush on you."

Harry looked at them with a surprised expression.

"Ever since she was a little girl, she had dreams of marrying the Boy-Who-Lived. Her daydreams were shattered when she found out you went off and grew up without her."

"Wonderful! I'm already gaining a reputation in my own world I have to deal with. This, I don't need."

"What sort of reputation are you getting?"

"That I come back from adventures where very few if anyone else does. It's not true, but it's my reputation at the moment. Or was when I left my world about three years ago."

"Better you than us, mate."

Harry shook his head. "Yeah. I don't think I could stand a reputation as a prankster."

The twins grinned at him as he made his way back to the Hufflepuff table.

During lunch, Auror Shacklebolt returned and waved Harry to the doors of the Great Hall. Harry quickly excused himself, and left with the tall auror.

"I got it from St. Mungos. I had to get the head of Magical Law Enforcement to contact them and release it to me, but I got it."

"Ginevra is in the common room. Miss Lovegood thinks that this might be a basilisk that we're facing because all the roosters have been killed. She's going to check on the petrification thing. Ginevra was very upset about Mr. Creevey's attack. I don't know if she's faking it, or really upset. We can use the potion to revive the victim and question him, and if he confirms what I've heard, then we go get Miss Weasley."

"Sounds like a good plan. Let's get to the hospital."

Colin revived slowly as Healer Pomfrey dribbled the potion into him. First his lips softened, which allowed them to open some, which allowed more potion into him. Eventually, the rest of him started softening. The healer stated that he would be alright when she saw that he started breathing. It took about a half hour for him to be completely restored.

"Mr. Creevey. Glad to see you awake," Shacklebolt told him. "I do have a few questions for you."

"And I have some too," Colin replied, looking around. "How did I get here?"

"You were brought in last night. Did you get a good look at what happened to Mr. Filch's cat?"

"Not really, all I heard was that she was petrified."

"Correct, she was turned to stone. Which brings me to you. Last night you were sent to get some snacks and encountered something that you wanted to take a picture of. Can you tell me what you saw?"

"It was a snake. The biggest snake I've ever seen. I got my camera up to take its picture, and that's the last thing I remember. Wait! What about Ginny?"

"Was she with you?"

"Not when I met the snake. She went off at the second floor to use the bathroom, and said she'd meet me on the way back to the central stairway."

"Maybe that's why she's so upset?" Harry asked.

"Maybe," Shacklebolt answered.

"So, she's safe?"

"Yes, physically, Mr. Creevey," Harry said. The boy looked at Harry and then his eyes widened.

"You're Harry Potter!"

Harry put his palm to his face and turned away, shaking his head.

He heard Shacklebolt explaining the name change to the boy. Harry called out, "I'll go get Miss Weasley."

He reached the Gryffindor common room's picture and asked the Fat Lady if Miss Weasley was still in the tower. He was told that she wasn't. He rolled his eyes, wondering where she might be, and headed back down to the Great Hall. While, admittedly, going down seven flights of stairs was easier than climbing them, Harry felt that the castle was too tall for it's own good. It certainly was too big for the number of students in it.

In the Great Hall he checked the Gryffindor table, but she wasn't there. He asked some of the other first years if they knew where she was, but they didn't and she hadn't been down to dinner. He headed back to the Hospital Wing. At the landing of the grand staircase in the Entrance Hall there was a sign.

**Her bones will lie in the Chamber of Secrets forever!**

Harry rolled his eyes and headed to the second floor. As expected, the portraits reported that the youngest Weasley was heading in the direction of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Harry entered and found it empty.

"Myrtle," he called softly. She appeared from one of the stalls.

"Hello, Ranger Harry."

"Myrtle, did you see anyone come in here in the last half hour or so?"

"Yes, a little red haired girl came in, and said something to that sink over there. The sink moved, showing an opening. She hissed something, and steps appeared in the hole, a spiral staircase. She went down, and the whole thing closed up."

Harry went over to the sink in question. He tried the taps, but they didn't work.

"They haven't worked at least since I was alive, and that was fifty years ago."

Harry saw the small symbol of a snake on the pipe. He scratched his head, thanked the ghost, and left. He found Shacklebolt still in the hospital, but worried about him, because of the time it was taking to get back.

"Don't know what's going on. Miss Weasley has gone to the Chamber of Secrets. . . ."

"You know where it is?"

"Yes. But before she went, she left a note saying 'Her bones will lie in the Chamber forever.' This isn't making sense."

"Where is the Chamber?"

"Through Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. But we still have the basilisk to consider. How do you kill one? I know how to fight them in my world, but its a completely different animal here."

"They are extremely rare, and extremely dangerous."

"Wait, Luna said they could be killed by a cock's crow. Gameskeeper Hagrid is out of roosters, think someone in Hogsmeade might have one?"

"Or we could transfigure one," Shacklebolt said with a smile.

"Or get a Professor of Transfiguration to create a bunch."

"The more the merrier! You check the Great Hall, I'll check her office. We'll meet at Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."

"See you there!" They left Colin in the care of Madame Pomfrey, and went their separate ways.

Harry headed for the Great Hall but ran into a stream of students being led by the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw prefects. They were on their way to the central staircase to return to their towers. Something had happened in the Entrance Hall, and they were being sent to their common rooms.

Harry hurried to the Entrance Hall, and found most of the teaching staff at the landing.

Harry went up the stairs to the landing and saw them clumped around the warning sign.

"Professor McGonagall," Harry called to get her attention.

"Mr. Ranger, we are really quite busy here."

"Yes, I know, Miss Weasley has gone to the Chamber of Secrets. But Slytherin's monster is a basilisk, and Professor Shacklebolt wants you transfigure a bunch of roosters for us."

"How do you know about Miss Weasley?" she asked, shocked. "We haven't gotten a count of missing students yet!"

"The portraits saw her. Please, Professor, if we're going to save her, time may be important, and we need those roosters."

"Oh, very well. I'll transfigure some for you, and then send some to common rooms. A basilisk? You're sure?"

"As sure as we can be without seeing it."

"Now, we need something to transfigure. Having it about the same size would be useful. . . ."

Harry reached into his bag of tricks, and pulled out some books. He checked the names, in case he had to replace them, put one back (a tome from his own world that was virtually irreplaceable), and pulled out a few others. McGonagall turned three books into cages and another three into the birds. Harry caged them up, thanked the professor, who was explaining that they were facing a basilisk, and left.

McGonagall thought Albus' question after she told him about the basilisk was not what she expected.

"Who told you this?"

"Mr. Ranger. He and Kingsley figured it out."

"Very good. Have the prefects taken roll yet and given us a list of missing students?"

"No, but Mr. Ranger also said that Miss Weasley went into the Chamber."

Albus' eyes widened. "He found it? Where is it?"

"Er, I don't know. He didn't say."

"Which way did he go?" When Minerva pointed the way towards the Great Hall, the Headmaster ran off.

"But they wouldn't enter the Chamber by themselves, would they?" she called after him. Then she thought about his adventure the previous year with Hufflepuff's rooms. Yes, she said to herself, Harry would.

Harry reached the bathroom without encountering anyone. He found Shacklebolt already there.

"Got three. Let's check that sink."

Harry was sure that there was some mechanism for opening the sink, but was unable to find it.

"How about we just blast it?" he asked.

"Sounds like a plan. A messy plan, but a plan, none the less. On three. One. Two. Three. Reducio!"

The sink disappeared in a spray of pipes, ceramic, and wood. Beneath it was the described hole, the steps still in place.

As Harry was about to begin the descent, Kingsley stopped him.

"I'll go first. After all, I am the teacher."

"If you insist. But before we go, I'd like to get some weapons."

Harry pulled out his sword and scabbard from his bag, along with his magic knife. He then nodded to Kingsley, and they stepped onto the spiral staircase.

This one, like the one to the Headmaster's office, started moving. The steps spun round and down the pipe, new steps appearing at the top, so Harry could get on the escalator. They went down for a long way. Shacklebolt lit his wand in the darkness. The rooster he held crowed. Harry pulled out a lantern and lit that. The pipe still went down.

"We're pretty deep. You don't suffer from claustrophobia, do you Harry?"

"No. Considering some of the caverns I've been in, I would be dead now if I did. Wonder how far down this goes?"

"Only one way to find out."

And still it went deeper.

"I certainly hope the steps reverse themselves when it's time to go up," Harry remarked.

"It would be painful to climb all that way."

"At least it would have steps. Imagine trying to climb this pipe without them?"

"Nearly impossible. I've reached the bottom."

Harry did, too, a moment later. They began exploring their location. The first room was filled with animal skeletons. A further one had a giant snake's skin.

"Looks more and more like a snake-basilisk," Harry remarked.

Finally they reached a large, round, metal door.

"Like a giant hobbit hole," Harry remarked. "Except for the snake motif, and the metal. See any way to open it?"

"Probably a secret word, like the sink."

"Of which we don't know. I can try to pop the hinges."

"If you do we will kill you," said one of bas-relief snakes.

"How about tell me how to open the door, then," Harry replied. But half way through, the door started opening on its own.

"What was that?" Kingsley wanted to know.

"I speak snake," Harry answered. "I've done it all my life. Some people don't like it, though, so I usually keep it to myself. Usually my adventuring companions find out, as we always seem to run into giant snakes in underground lairs."

"Got any ideas?" Kingsley asked, looking into the dimly lit, but still illuminated, Chamber.

"Yes, you go along that wall, I'll go along this wall. If we see Weasley, we stun her and figure out later what's going on. If one of us goes out into the open for any reason, the other stays to the side ready to light up their wand and make the cock crow to kill any basilisks that happen by."

"I'll go along with that. Do this often?"

"Attack an unknown enemy in an underground lair? Far too often to consider it accidental. Let's go, and quiet. Stealth and surprise are our friends."

Kingsley chuckled at that, and nodded. They slipped into the large room and went their separate ways. Harry, trained and more used to moving quietly, did so quickly. He was most of the way to the other end of the Chamber when he saw the body. He moved behind one of the snake decorated pillars, and looked. It appeared to be Miss Weasley and someone else. Harry put one of his two roosters on the ground near the pillar. He then moved silently towards the figures.

As he got closer, he confirmed that the one on the ground was Miss Weasley. He still didn't recognize the other, although Harry could now tell that he was wearing Slytherin robes.

"Step back from the girl," he said, brandishing both his wand and his sword.

"What do you think you can do with that?" the figure asked, pointing at Harry's sword. Harry took a test swing which should have gone through the figures' robes, which it did, and cut them, which it didn't. It passed through them as if they weren't there.

"Ginny said you were muggle raised. How pathetic."

"Then Ginevra told you wrong. Who are you?"

"I'm Tom Riddle. I was head boy in Hogwarts fifty years ago."

"Another ghost!" Harry said with disgust.

"No! I'm a memory! I'm the memory of Tom Riddle that he committed to paper. And You're Harry Potter! Poor Ginny was so disappointed that you had grown up some how and left her behind. She was just broken-hearted."

"So, you what? Forced her to do your bidding?"

"Hardly. Hardly any force, either. No, I just sort of borrowed her body when I needed things done. Much easier that way."

"And why won't she wake up?"

"Because that would allow her to fight back. I'm slowly draining her life force, and will soon have all of it, leaving poor Ginny without any life left."

"Well, you've failed. We'll stop you."

"You can't. It's unstoppable now. Soon I will be fully corporeal! I'm getting solider. I think I can even pick up Ginny's wand." He did so, and cast a spell at Harry. Harry jumped out of the way, and returned a disarming spell of his own. Riddle stopped it with a shield.

"This is useless. You're only at third year. I'm way beyond seventh! You can't stop me!"

But as he was speaking a red beam of spell light came from the far wall and hit him in the back. The semi-corporeal wizard fell forward, dropping Weasley's wand. Harry dove, picked it up, and was back on his feet before Riddle finished his fall. The remnant shook his head and started to get up.

"He's disarmed," Harry called to Kingsley. Kingsley came out, wand in one hand, cage with rooster in the other.

"It doesn't matter!" Riddle said. "You can't defeat me. I told you, the process is unstoppable!"

"What process?" Kingsley wanted to know.

"He's draining Miss Weasley's life force. Quickly, take her and go. Dumbledore or Pomfrey might be able to stop it. I'll see if I can take care of semi-hard, here." He again slashed his sword through the student, who was just standing up, but again, it just passed through him.

"Good luck," Kingsley said, acknowledging Harry's plan. He levitated Weasley, tossed her over his shoulder, and ran out.

Meanwhile, Riddle was talking to the giant statue. "Speak to me Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four!"

Kingsley ran out of the room, leaving Harry to watch as the mouth of the statue opened.

"Luminos!" Harry said, lighting his wand. He waved it over the rooster, but nothing happened.

"You didn't notice, but I blinded your rooster with a cataract hex as you were walking up. He'll never see dawn again. But then, neither will you!"

"Oh, spare me the cheesy villain lines, Riddle. I eat evil wizards like you for breakfast."

"Now look who has cheesy lines! Slytherin's monster, kill him!"

The command to the snake had been given in snake language.

Harry responded in the same language, "King of snakes! Don't fight me. I am not your enemy."

"No, but you will be my dinner."

"I warned you!" Harry chanted and pulled a sprig of mistletoe from his belt pouch. He hoped he could get the spell off before the snake reached him.

"What are you doing?" Riddle demanded. "Nothing you do will save you!"

Harry reached the end of the spell, and spoke to the rooster.

"As your life depends on it, crow, my friend. Crow like the sun itself needs awakening."

Harry had cast the Druidic _Speak with Animals_ spell correctly and the rooster complied. The bird crowed, and suddenly, there was silence behind Harry, where before there was the sound of the snake approaching.

"NOOOO!" Riddle screamed. "I will not be defeated!" Harry tested his sword one last time and found it still ineffective. He sheathed it and pulled out his magic knife. It was the same knife with which he threatened the ghosts the day of his sorting.

"What are you going to do with that?" Riddle asked.

"It's a knife. What do you think a fighter will use a knife for?"

Riddle crossed his arms and smiled at him. "Your sword didn't work. Why should your knife?"

Harry slashed through Riddles neck. "Because it's a _magic _knife, stupid!" Riddle was bleeding light from the wound. Harry followed up by stabbing him in the stomach. Riddle's mouth opened in pain, but no sound came out, and he bent over, clutching his stomach in pain. Harry brought the knife down on his back, which slammed the ghost-thing into the floor. The holes were leaking light, and it was spreading. Suddenly, with a flash, Tom Riddle's memory was no more.

Harry looked at his knife and raised his eyebrow in surprise. There was no blood to clean off.

Harry picked up the two cages; he hadn't needed the second one, but it was nice to know that there was a backup plan. As Harry trudged out of the chamber, leaving a dead, 60 foot long snake behind, he realized that he wasn't being smart about this.

He put the caged birds down, and cast _finite _on both of them. There, in font of him, were four books. He collected the two that Kingsley had carried, put them away, and headed upstairs. The spiral staircase did go up, too.

ADND ADND ADND ADND

Harry was surprised to find that the sink had repaired itself in their absence. It slid over the opening as Harry stepped out. He saw no one in the corridors as he headed to the hospital wing.

There he met Shacklebolt and a wide awake Weasley girl. Kingsley was out of his robes, dressed in rather nice muggle clothes.

"How's she doing?" Harry asked.

"She's cold and exhausted, but otherwise unhurt. There's residue of a possession."

"Well, that explains why she 'kidnapped' herself to the Chamber of Secrets. Riddle was in control of her."

"I'm so sorry!" Weasley cried.

Harry patted her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You weren't responsible."

"But I kept using the diary, even after I thought it was dangerous."

"Ah, yes, the diary. Riddle mentioned something about one. Do you still have it?"

"No, we gave it Madame Pomfrey," Kingsley said. "She found some residue on the book, but nothing actively hostile now."

"So what's in it?" Harry wanted to know.

"See for yourself. Poppy? Can you summon the book?"

Pomfrey did that, and Harry opened it up. Every page was soaked in ink, it still hadn't dried.

"What happened?" Harry wanted to know.

"I was on the staircase and suddenly, she was waking up and shivering. Also, her pocket started to leak ink. Whatever you did, caused the thing to bleed out. It's virtually worthless as a book."

"Then I think that fixes the problem, except for Mr. Filch's cat's personality. I don't know about you, but I could use some food. I haven't really eaten since last night's dinner."

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

Dumbledore was not pleased with the fact that neither Kingsley nor Harry knew how to open the Chamber of Secrets. Harry was with them when they destroyed the sink to reveal a pipe, but the pipe had no steps in it. Except to go down by rope, and who knew how to come back up, there was no way to access it. And the bathroom repaired itself in about five minutes, so there was no guarantee that they would be able to get it open from below.

Snape was particularly angry that a whole, sixty-foot basilisk was just waiting down there to be harvested for potions ingredients and he couldn't do thing one about it.

Dumbledore, under direct questioning, admitted that Tom Riddle later changed his name to Lord Voldemort. Kingsley reported it to his boss, but a magical diary that tried to possess someone didn't make the Dark Lord undead. There was no proof that the unicorn killer of the previous year was Voldemort.

The strange thing to Harry's mind, was that Dumbledore didn't seem to care that no one shared his beliefs that Voldemort was coming back.

School moved on. Harry spent some time with Ginevra, trying to help her overcome her experience. He wasn't a healer, but Pomfrey didn't seem to think that the spirit needed to be healed after a possession. There was a man, a Fighter in Shrewsbury, that Harry had met once. He had been devastated by the violation that a Soul Jar had done to him. Harry hoped that he could help Ginny, as she preferred to be called, avoid that fate. Harry and the girl became friends; she said he reminded her of her big brother, Bill. This year, Harry did accept the invitation to the Weasley's for Christmas.

It was a very different affair than the previous year. The level of chaos in evidence was amazing, as was Mrs. Weasley's ability to withstand and overcome it.

Amidst all the confusion, Harry would get away and hike around the area. There were numerous farms in the county, as well as plenty of roads for automobiles.

It turned out that the Lovegoods lived in the area. Harry visited Luna and Od several times over Christmas break. Od was very pleased with his new reporter. She was happy to help her father. Harry helped Luna with an article on the Chamber of Secrets. He liked the final section where they speculated on where the diary came from.

_How did this piece of Dark Lord paraphernalia end up in the possession of, and possessing, an eleven year old? The girl in question says it was found among her school books after a visit to Florish and Blotts book store before the school year. They certainly didn't buy the strange book there, and it is very unlikely that the book store stocked a diary that wouldn't show what was written in it and would write back to you. _

_So where did it come from? Here we enter the realm of speculation. Yet not wild speculations. It is known that many Slytherin students knew that the muggleborn were in danger this year (and didn't pass on that information to the authorities of either the school or the government). It is also known that the first person to exhibit this information and threaten the death of the muggleborn was Draco Malfoy. It is also known that his father worked with the Dark Lord, supposedly while under the imperius curse. And it is a further fact that Lucius Malfoy was in the book store when the student's books were bought, and handled at least one of them (in such a rude manner that her father and Malfoy got into a fist fight over it)._

_Those are the facts. Here is the speculation. If Mr. Malfoy supports the same anti-muggleborn ideals that his son so freely espouses at school, perhaps he thought that this object of dark magic would promote that agenda. Or, perhaps he had been given instructions by the Dark Lord to give the book to a Light Witch just entering Hogwarts ten years after he was killed as a method to restore himself to life from his memories. Whether that instruction was carried out because he supported the Dark Lord, or because he is still under the Imperius, is an open question that this reporter cannot answer. _

Luna was getting better at reporting; Harry had to help her much less with this article than the one that reported the attack on the cat. Od Lovegood couldn't have been more pleased to see his daughter following in his footsteps. Harry enjoyed his visits with the strange family in their tower-like home.

He spent some time with the Tonks on Christmas day. Tonks was there, on break from classes. She filled Harry in on all the training - the dueling, combat in groups, detective spells, learning to think like a dark wizard. At least in her training 'dark' meant 'evil.' Harry just wasn't convinced it meant that to everyone, or that 'light' meant 'good.' But he avoided that topic, as it usually turned into a long argument with Tonks, and just enjoyed the day. The letters had become less, as Tonks and he were for the most part just doing routine work, and there's really not much you can say about routine in letter after letter. She let it be known that she was still interested in becoming his girlfriend. He still wouldn't give in while he was in the wrong Material Plane.

Soon the winter break was over, and Harry, Ginny, and Luna were back in school. Tonks was too, but that was a different school.


	10. The Second Founder

**Do it Yourself Disclaimer**: Insert standard disclaimer here about not owning Harry Potter or Dungeons and Dragons. Then insert funny remark. Then read chapter.

**AN**: Sorry for those who were subjected to the wall of text. I did notice it immediately after posting the story. I then immediately took down the chapter. Unfortunately, something went wrong with deleting the chapter, and it stayed up.

And the formatting is still not what I wanted, but I'm going to put it out there anyway. Grumble.

**Chapter 10**

**The Second Founder**

"Routine" would describe the next couple of months. Harry took to hiking in the Forbidden forest as often as he could. During his hikes, he encountered Luna several times. She, too, enjoyed being out in the woods, and felt the castle life was sucking the life out of her.

The Quibbler article, The Closing of the Chamber, came out the second week of January. Draco was quite upset, and, it turned out, so was his father. Harry learned from Ginny that he had threatened her father. Arthur didn't give in and the aurors felt that threats to a head of one of the ministry's departments wasn't something to be taken lightly. Harry speculated that the scrutiny that the aurors gave the incident might have saved Arthur's life.

Luna, much later, related to Harry that her father often got threats, but never took any of them seriously. It was unknown if he was threatened before he was killed, but whoever did it, got away with murder. Luna was devastated, and would have been sent home for a time, except there was no one to send her too. She was distantly related to Wand Wright Ollivander, and just as distantly related to Seer and Divination Professor Trelawney, but she had no connection with either. Her guardianship was left up in the air for the time being. Harry hired Andi and Ted to follow the case and represent Luna's interests, since no one seemed to be doing that.

Even though it was the middle of the week, after the funeral Harry had Luna pack for a few days away and took her out into the forest. She was amazed by his non-magical tent which, being unheated, made winter camping "interesting". But Harry was good at his job, and he and Luna spent several days hiking deeper and deeper into the woods. He took a slightly circuitous route to avoid the Acromantula colony that he knew lived in one part of the forest. They were joined part way by Umbriago and Hedwig. How they had known that Harry was out and about, he wasn't sure, but their presence seemed to help Luna, especially during the day when Umbriago allowed her to ride on his back. But when they stopped for meals or for the night, Luna would stroke Hedwig's feathers, much to the owl's delight. And she would talk about her life.

The days were filled with stories about her father and mother. It seemed that Luna hadn't had a chance to grieve her mother's death, either, being too busy helping her father cope with it. From the stories, Harry was sorry he hadn't had a chance to meet Luna's mother.

Finally, they reached some hills and cliffs not visible from the castle.

"Luna, we can return to the castle now, or we can do something potentially dangerous. Your choice."

"What's potentially dangerous?"

"A little ways up that cliff is someones secret hideout. Or something. When I discovered it, I didn't check it out too carefully, hoping to come back here with someone to share the discovery. Adventures are more fun that way. The choice is yours: we can explore, or we can start our way back."

It was Saturday, and a note had come by owl asking him to return to Hogwarts. Harry didn't let Luna know that her name wasn't on the letter. What were they thinking?

"I'd like to explore it. That's one of the things we did as a family - visit old castles throughout Europe, trying to find magical secrets in them."

"Then let's check it out. Umbriago, unless you are a mountain goat, I think you'll need to stay here. Luna, secure this rope around your waist and we'll head up the mountain."

Tied together for security, Harry led the way up the mountain. For the most part, it was just very steep hiking. But the last twenty feet were almost straight up. Luna was exhausted when they reached the ledge, and Harry was tired.

"I'm out of shape. I shouldn't be this tired. I think your world is making me soft."

"So now that we're here, what do we do?"

"One of the things I have learned is a bunch of detection spells. I'm not sure how useful they will be when I get back home, but I figure they couldn't hurt. But one of them lets me see magic. I was on that hill over there," Harry pointed across the valley they just crossed, "and saw this ledge glowing like a beacon. So, I came over here, did a little searching and found this..."

Harry put his hand behind a bit of the rock face and pulled. A door-size chunk of rock swung open, revealing a corridor.

"You do realize," Luna said, as she removed the rope and stood up, "that we could have gotten here a lot easier if we had used brooms."

"Er, I hadn't thought of that. We don't have magic brooms where I come from."

Harry and Luna entered the dark corridor. Luna lit her wand and Harry lit a lantern. "It will stay lit if I have to use my wand for something else," he explained. Luna nodded at the idea.

The tunnel remained door-sized for a few dozen paces - a meter wide, and two high. It ended at a real, wooden door with a handle. The wood door was rotting, and if it hadn't been iron-reinforced, it would have fallen apart when they opened it. Opening it, they carefully entered the room.

It lit up as they entered. It was round and about two floors tall. The ceiling was a dome with a painted blue sky. There were bookcases around the outside walls, and a brick oven in the center of the room, with some smooth-topped, shelved stone blocks around it - somewhat like kitchen counters. Harry had a strange feeling of deja vu looking around the room. There were four doors evenly spaced about the room, but at least there weren't any bas-reliefs above each one.

No, the symbols were carved on the doors themselves. The door they stood by had a flying eagle. Across the room, which was slightly smaller than the Ravenclaw common room, was one with its eyes closed. The door to their left had the eagle holding a wand in one of its claws, and the last one had the eagle next to a simple water wave symbol.

The shelves weren't filled, but there were plenty of folios, scrolls, and tomes. Harry noted the golden reflectors behind the sconces on the wall, and the very faded, but still blue, cloth covering the chairs and couches of the room. Harry pulled out his bedroll from his Bag of Holding, and set it up on the floor. Luna had already collected several folios and a couple of tomes and sat down on the floor, not trusting the furniture. Harry made his bedroll available to her, and she took advantage of it by lying down and reading, her wand tucked behind her ear, but lit with the Lumos spell, lighting the book she was reading.

"Stay safe and stay here unless something happens, then get out quickly. Understand?"

"Yes, Harry." she replied.

"Did you even hear me?"

"Stay safe and here and run from danger. Got it," She still didn't look up from her reading.

Harry sighed. He went to the room with the wand picture. Another short, stone corridor led to something Harry wasn't expecting. It was an archery range, or at least the magical equivalent. The room lit up and came alive as he entered. It was at least two hundred paces long and three stories tall. Along one side were stone walls and buildings, with windows. The other side had trees - some half trees against the wall, some out a bit. And up and down each side, and moving back and forth between the sides were scarecrows. Some had wands and others not. They represented children or family groups. There were small objects placed on walls, and actual targets set against the far wall. Harry shot a disarming spell against a moving scarecrow. The spell missed, Harry had overestimated its speed, and it turned and cast a disarming hex against him. Harry had to dodge. He then realized, some of the closer trees and walls would give him some cover. The scarecrow cast again, so Harry returned the favor dodging behind a tree trunk at the same time. His spell hit, and the scarecrows' wand came flying at him. He caught it, dropped it, and it reversed its original flight and went back to the scarecrow who resumed his original movement from one side to the other.

Harry was sure there was a way to change the "difficulty " setting, but didn't know how. He returned to the main room. Luna was sitting with several piles of books.

"Learn anything?"

"Yes, these are only referenced in other books, so are probably the only copies in existence. These," she pointed to another small pile, "are ones I know exist, but are in the original Greek or Latin. These are Arabic, and I can't read it at all, so have no idea how rare they may be. These," the largest pile, "are works I know exist today. And this," she held up one old tome, "is Rowena Ravenclaw's. It's never been published as such, and I've just been giving them a cursory look, so I'm not sure if its filled with insights or new spells, or just random thoughts. I haven't even gotten to the scrolls yet."

Why don't you label some of the bookshelves with your categories, and put them up there. I'm going to check out the other two rooms," Harry told her, and headed for the sleeping eagle. Beyond the seemingly obligatory corridor was indeed a bedroom. Hundreds of years after its use, the bedclothes were decayed, the feather mattress all but destroyed. It seemed Ravenclaw had a thing for working in stone, though, and the shelves in here also survived because of that. A closet, and a water closet, with running waterfall that filled a sink basin, were off the main room. There was a privy, and upon examination, Harry concluded that it was just attached to a very long, deep hole. Despite the waterfall, which was cold water and (he guessed) a convenient spring, this place was created before indoor plumbing. Which made him wonder about the "Chamber of Secrets."

A single portrait was on the wall in the bedroom. A mature, nude woman sat in a chair. The paint had cracked, giving it almost a mosaic look. The woman was not the current muggle ideal of skinny and had long blond hair. The face looked like no one he knew, so that didn't help. The hair had a redish tint, but the the colors were faded. It was not a moving portrait, like the ones in the castle.

He stared at the woman, his hormones kicking in. It was all well and good to be noble to the women of this world, but damn, sometimes it was difficult. He left the room.

Luna had started sorting the library, Systematically going through the bookcases. She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"Look through there," he pointed back the way he came. "Its a latrine, but better than nothing."

He entered the final door, and was surprised when the corridor snaked through the mountain for a while. It finally arrived at a stone door. Harry opened it, and found another, unexpected sight.

It was a natural grotto. There were rocks that had been carved out to be benches, others that looked like stone beds. The center of the cavern was a pool of steaming water. Harry stuck his hand in - hot, but not too hot. It would be nice to relax in the hot water. Harry found the original exit from the room, but it looked like Ravenclaw had used her affinity to stone shaping to close it permanently.

Harry went back to Luna, who was now using a stone desk and chair for her work.

"How does a stone chair work? I would think it would be too heavy to move around."

"Oh, harry. You are never going to be a wizard are you? You use a feather light charm."

"Well, excuse me for having a career already before I got around to learning magic. There's a hot spring through there. I'm going to go have a soak. Come get me if you need anything or if any danger threatens."

Luna agreed, and Harry went to the hot spring. He removed his clothes, but kept his wand and sword near him on the edge. Twenty minutes later, he felt wonderfully relaxed. He got out, remembered he was a wizard and dried himself off with a spell, dressed, and rejoined Luna.

"We'll have to come back for the scrolls. Any protective spells on them have worn off and they're just too brittle to handle. I already destroyed one by accident."

"We'll have to come back here anyway. My bag can hold a lot of stuff, but not the whole library."

"There are library trunks you can get."

"Let's just start with a dozen or so books that you want to bring."

She pulled all four volumes from the shelf marked Ravenclaw, seven from the Lost shelf, and one from the Unknown-Greek shelf. Harry packed them in his "group treasure" bag, and lit a fire in the oven. They shared some trail rations - cheese and magically preserved bread, some dried beef, and magically preserved fruit; Harry wondered if he could bring a few house elves back with him to his own world. They were much better cooks than he was. He shook his head. Probably not. And he wouldn't want to know what kind of potions could be made from such magical creatures that, once bonded, wouldn't even be able to fight for their own lives.

After dinner, they relaxed, Luna read, and Harry did too. They set up their sleeping arrangements on the rock around the oven, which gave off heat as well as directed it towards whatever food would go into it. The next day, at Harry's insistence, Luna tried out the hot spring. She returned a half hour later, saying she was ready for bed. As they didn't have any time table, they slept in that day (it was Sunday anyway) and headed back to Hogwarts the next day. There was another owl with an angry note from Dumbledore insisting that Harry return at once. Harry penned back that he was on his way.

That night, Harry encountered Dendreg again. But this time, he had very interesting news.

"Harry! Can you hear me?"

"Yes, Dendreg, I can."

"Who's there, Harry?"

"Wha's that, Harry?"

"Luna, my friend Druid Dendroginous is speaking to us from the astral plane. Dendreg, this is Luna Lovegood, a friend."

"Hello, Mr. Dendroginous."

"Hello, Luna. So, finally got a girlfriend, eh, Harry?"

"She's a friend and she's eleven. How's things going?"

"Not so great. The Saxons are moving out of London to take over other areas. But Harry, I got some good news, I think. We came across some information that Enchanter Mycroft had a specialized Amulet of the Planes. It could take him to one of the Nine Planes, and back to the Material Plane. We think if you activate it, there's a fifty fifty chance that you could get home. And to up the chance as much as possible, you should attempt it during one of the more positive holidays, Spring Equinox, maybe, or something like that."

"Saturnia? Christmas, which they celebrate around here, or Epiphany?"

"Probably not. Too close to the winter solstice. It's generally considered a dark time. Sorry. What time of year is it anyway?"

"Mid January, too late for the winter celebrations anyway. What makes you think I have it?"

"I gave it to you. Remember the amulet with the three triangles - nine pointed star? That was it. Has an activation word of 'Transition'."

"Damn, you mean I could have come home at any time? Thanks a lot."

"Not any time. You don't want to end up at the wrong destination."

"So hopefully in about four months time for me, or eight months for you, I'll see you in person."

"And if you end up at the wrong place, I suggest you use the amulet again right away."

"You better believe it."

"Great! I'm looking forward to seeing you. Don't be late."

"Er, any idea where I'll end up when I get to the Prime Material Plane?"

"Not a clue. However, Mycroft came from the Nottinghamshire area. That would be a good guess."

"I'll pack accordingly."

"Good luck."

"Stay safe."

There was no reply. Suddenly, Harry had a crying Luna in his lap, arms wrapped around him.

"I don't want you to go. You're like the only family I have. You're my only friend in the world."

"You need to get new friends."

"I don't want you to go."

"We have several more months."

But she was inconsolable.

Harry held her until she fell asleep. Then he put her down next to him, covered them both with blankets, and went to sleep.

ADND

"Mr. Ranger! You just can't leave school any time you want."

Harry was in Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore was mad at him for leaving school, and taking another student with him. But that part didn't come out until Harry pointed it out to him.

Harry, for his part, didn't really care how Dumbledore felt. His respect for the headmaster had taken a downward turn during the Chamber of Secrets incident. He briefly wondered if he should tell Dumbledore that the secret room they found probably wasn't the Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets. Harry decided against it.

"I am an adult in wizarding society, right?"

"Yes."

"Therefore I am responsible to no one but myself."

"You will damage your schooling."

"Am I in any danger of failing any class I am taking?"

"As far as I know, no, you aren't."

"Then I don't think a few days off will really bother me. I felt it was important for Miss Lovegood."

"And that is a whole different matter. You know you can be charged with kidnapping? You are not her guardian."

"No one is her guardian. Currently, there is no one looking out for her."

"The school, and I in particular, is in loco parentis. I am responsible for her."

"And such a good job you're doing. Any student with a family would have had time off to bury a parent. . ."

"And she did."

"And to grieve and recover a bit. I gave her that time.

"But if you're her de-facto guardian, why is it that none of the notes sent to me even mentioned her? As I said, you're doing a poor job with your responsibilities."

"Responsibilities? You have more than just Miss Lovegood in mind?"

"Yes. But I see no reason to go into it here."

Dumbledore sighed. "Why can't you see that I just want what is best for you?"

"Because you're a liar."

"I take exception to that remark," the headmaster answered angrily.

"And I don't care. Until our next frackus, headmaster."

"Mr. Ranger! We have not resolved this!"

"And I doubt we ever will. But it doesn't matter. Its the past.

"But let me ask you, Chief Warlock, what has been done about Mr. Malfoy's father? Besides being the prime suspect in the murder of Mr. Lovegood, he is also the person who set a basilisk loose on the school. Do your responsibilities involve doing something about that?"

"I have warned him that I had better not see any more of Voldemort's items in the school."

"Oh, that's scary. I'm sure he took that to heart. Now he'll just kill muggleborn outside the school, and all will be well."

"No one is murdering muggleborn."

"Only because Colin got lucky and Shacklebolt and I solved the problem. Let me ask you - were you anywhere near the solution when we stumbled upon it?"

Dumbledore looked away, "No. But as you said, you stumbled upon it."

"But that was because I was unfamiliar with the wizarding world. You, who are familiar with it, should have had the answer much sooner. Think about that when your responsibilities allow." With that, Harry did leave the room.

Dumbledore seethed. He had been called a liar. True, he withheld information, but he didn't actually lie. He misdirected and obscured. Unfortunately, this Harry Potter wasn't easily distracted. He contemplated just telling him about the prophecy. Then he shook his head. Why change plans at this late date? Things were still moving in the right direction, admittedly, without him in as much charge as he expected.

ADND ADND

"Professor Moody!"

"Aye, Lass?"

"Would it be possible for me to get extra dueling practice?" Tonks asked the scarred senior auror.

"I'm not beating you up enough as it is?" he responded.

"I'm afraid something will come up at the end of the session and I'll be out of school for a while. If that happens, I want to be as far ahead as I can be."

"What's going on?"

"Family matters."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Mad Eye Moody responded, glancing at her stomach, as he came to the entirely wrong conclusion, which was what Tonks wanted him to do.

"These things happen, but I want to be prepared."

"Constant vigilance, right? Alright. After dinner on Tuesdays and Thursdays I'll meet you in the dueling room."

"Thank you, sir."

"We'll see if you thank me after Tuesday."

Tonks walked away, wondering what she had gotten herself into. If Harry was going to another world, there was no way that she wasn't going with him. And if that was going to happen, with the sort of thing he encountered - she was going to be as good in a fight as she could be.

Leave her behind? Not bloody likely!

ADND ADND ADND

Feb. 20  
>Dear Harry,<p>

I can't believe how tired I am. If they didn't give us time off on weekends to recover, I'd have been out of here months ago.

Mad Eye is working me to the bone. I think I'm improving. At least I hope so. He's very stingy with the praise, so I'm not getting a lot of feedback.

I am looking forward to seeing you. I hope you stick around at least until Easter, which is late this year, falling on April 20. Auror training academy is closed the week before until the Tuesday afterward. If I recall correctly, Hogwarts is also. So I hope you stay around until Easter.

I can't believe you found Ravenclaw's Retreat. I'm jealous. And with a 'Claw in tow, too. Was that intentional? Was it intentional that you were with a 'Puff when you found Hufflepuff's Hole? You aren't hanging around any Gryffindors, are you? Or, worse yet, Slytherins, considering that you believe that Slytherin's Chamber (so much for alliterative names) is still to be found.

Anyway, I'm sorry you'll be leaving, yet hoping to see you before you go. Please tell me you'll see me at my parents' the week before Easter. Please?

Your friend,  
>Tonks<p>

ADND ADND ADND ADND

March 20  
>Dear Mr. and Mrs. Tonks,<p>

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your help. I can't believe that the Malfoys tried to get a hold of me. They may have called it guardianship, but I think it would have been a quick, but 'accidental' trip to meet my parents.

And while the prospect of seeing them again would make me happy, I don't think being murdered is the way to do it.

I thank you for becoming my guardians.

Harry would have done it, but he's not staying. This makes me sad. I wish I could go with him. He hasn't told me exactly when he's leaving. He plans to do it during a "good" holiday, which would include the Spring Equinox, the first full moon of Spring, or Easter. He said something about meeting your daughter around the Easter break, so that's my guess.

Oh, yes. I almost forgot to accept your invitation to your home for the Easter Break. I'll be on the Hogwarts Express, and expect Harry to be, too.

Again, thank you for everything you have done for me.

Your ward,

Luna Lovegood

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

Harry applied himself to his schoolwork with a vengeance. He knew he had only a limited time to learn as many spells as possible. He read ahead in all the years, and was talking to the three professors that taught the spell related courses, Charms, Transfigurations, and Defense. He also spent time with Professor Kettleburn of Care of Magical Creatures, to learn how they used spells in that area to control and defend against various magical creatures. Harry was more interested in the spells to use against the sorts of monsters he faced, but the knowledge was transferable.

He continued with Ancient Runes, especially learning Latin. It was still the written language of Magic Users on his world, and he felt that it could be useful to know what the books he might encounter actually said.

Another area of self study that he dove into was enchanting and enchanted objects. He skipped all the surrounding information about the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. In his world there was no Statute of Secrecy and everyone had to be wary of cursed objects. It was a foolish man who used a magic item without learning everything he could about it. The amulet of the planes he had was a special case. He knew it was magic, he had had it checked. He knew it involved alteration, and should have realized it may have been an Amulet of the Planes. However, it may have been a teleportation trap, or just a teleportation device. Alteration may have been some sort of shape change, too. He hadn't felt the need to spend the money to resolve the object. He was going to, some day, but there always seemed to be something more important to do, or training to pay for, or duty to perform.

Wizards on this world had reusable (or at least it could be reusable) objects called portkeys that could be set up for fast travel. He finally convinced Professor Flitwick to teach him how to make them. Then, if it turned out he could learn the skill, he might create a very useful method of quick travel. The ability to sneak an army into the heart of London came to mind.

Ginny was another situation. She still hung around Harry as much as possible. She no longer had her crush on the 'Boy-Who-Lived' but she seemed to consider him an older brother. Harry smiled as he thought that the way she talked to him, she might as well consider him an older sister. Not that there was anything wrong in her discussions; it was just that he had nothing to say about women's fashions (especially in this world), makeup, or dating, which Ginny didn't do.

He told her a bit about his limited dating life. There was an elf maiden who he befriended. She was two or three centuries older than him, but the strange elf lifespan kept her in a teenager mindset for as long as she didn't want to grow up and take on adult responsibilities. Then she would have her next growth spell, where she would grow from a maiden to a young lady. And from then on, she would slowly grow more distinguished, but never old. You could see the wisdom of the ages in some mature elves, but more often than not, they would remain carefree youths. That, probably more than anything else, kept them from over populating the world with more near immortal elves.

Ginny and Luna were fascinated by his tales of his world. But while Ginny found it romantic, but not particularly realistic, Luna more than once expressed her desire to go to his world and see the creatures and peoples there. The prospect of whole non-human cultures one could interact with drew her imagination. True, on this world there were the Centaurs and Merpeople and the goblins, but the first weren't interested in people, the second weren't available for much in the way of cultural exchanges, and the latter were thoroughly nasty to people. When Harry pointed out that there was a whole muggle world right next to the magical one, neither Luna nor Ginny were interested in it. Ginny, because of her upbringing, and Luna, because while she could go visit it, they couldn't reciprocate due to the Statue of Secrecy.

At one point Ginny's twin brothers confronted Harry.

"You may be the Boy-who-lived and the defeater of Slytherin's monster, but we want to know what your intentions towards our sister are!"

Harry almost laughed at the implication.

"Let me tell you about Peter the Woodcutter. Peter, when he was young, was by all tales an excellent Fighter. He grew rich and gained a bit of a reputation, and had a cache of magical items. That, more than anything else, tells me he was successful at his profession."

"What profession?"

"Fighter. The guy with the sword, or in Peter's case, the two headed battle axe. Which I saw over his mantle. That was not a weapon that most people could lift, let alone use well in combat. But apparently Peter could.

"Then came the time he hired on to a group led by a Magic User searching for a particular book of spells, said to be in the lair of another Magic User a hundred years dead.

"They had the usual problems getting to the Underground, the various monsters and traps in the complex that reduced the number in the party, and finally, they reached their destination, the private apartments of the Magic User.

"They ransacked the place, searching for treasure, and Peter found a trap. It opened beneath him, and deposited him in a room beneath the floor. There, he found a crystal that had the Soul Jar spell cast upon it by the Magic User. So, in essence, the Magic User wasn't dead, despite the fact that his body had been killed a hundred years previous. When Peter came near the crystal, he was possessed. The evil wizard used Peter's body for almost a year before Peter was able to regain control of his own body. He had been a prisoner and passenger in his own mind.

"Yet, even as he came back to himself, he was attacked again and again, and soon fell to the wizards soul again. Luckily he had explained his predicament to the right people, and while his controlled body was stuck in prison, a second expedition returned to the magic user's lair and destroyed the crystal, freeing Peter.

"But there is where the tragedy really starts. Peter was so devastated that he couldn't control his own body that he hung up his weapons, withdrew from almost all human contact, never went on another adventure again, and lived an almost hermit like life even unto this day; assuming he's still alive, as I haven't been in my own world for a year and a half your time.

"That is what I don't want to happen to your sister. Luckily, she's latched on to me like a big brother, but you two are her big brothers. You can do what I do - listen to her, and I mean really listen; pay attention to her; spend time with her. I started doing this so this victory wouldn't include the destruction of a child. I don't think that's going to happen, but I'm the only adult figure that's paying attention to her. It's something she needs. And it's something I won't be able to continue doing."

"Why not?"

"Because I have an opportunity to return to my own world. I don't think there are many ways between the worlds, so I doubt I'll be back once I go."

The twins looked serious for a moment.

"Good journey, then, Harry Ranger. We'll try to take your place as adult role models to our sister."

"Heaven help her!" Harry said with a smile. That got some smiles in return.

"When will you be leaving?"

"Not exactly sure. Could be as soon as the Spring Equinox, or as late as the Summer Solstice. It's magical travel, and there are reasons that some times are better than others."

"Well, if you need anything before you go, don't hesitate to ask us."

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

Harry learned the fine and difficult art of creating a portkey from Professor Flitwick. The difficulty with portkeys was they took a lot of magic to enchant. The longer the distance, the ability to return to the starting point, the ability to be reused - all these additons caused the enchantment to take more magical power. Unlike Charms or Transfigurations, which were over and done with in one go, to actually enchant an object could take minutes, hours, days, or even weeks. Multiple wizards could be involved. Additional complexity required additional magical power, and thus either more witches or wizards, or more time. Although, certain types of enchanted objects, with lots of spell-like effects, could be done piece by piece, like the Castle of Hogwarts itself. The magical steps were created separately from the magical doorways, or the fluid nature of the interior, or the rudimentary intelligence that controlled the whole thing. The magical motorcycle that Filius had heard about was probably built enchantment by enchantment on various parts; if it had been done against the whole thing, each successive spell would have been harder to put on, magically speaking.

But portkeys took a lot of power for even the most rudimentary one. Filius could create one in an hour, but, he humbly explained, he was rather above average magically. Dumbledore was said to create a simple one as quickly as one could charm an object. The department of the Ministry of Magic that was in charge of creating portkeys regularly used four wizards to do so, and more for international travels.

Harry, under Filius's tutelage, was able to create a simple one in about an hour. Filius noted that he, the Charms instructor, was drained after creating one and would need to rest. Harry appeared ready to create another.

So they went on to the next level, creating a portkey with return capabilities. Harry was warned that Hogwarts was protected from portkeys, either in or out, and that if he were to use his portkey, even though it had the ability to return the user to his starting place, it wouldn't if he started in Hogwarts.

"But if Hogwarts has protections against portkeying out of it, how could you start in Hogwarts in the first place?"

Professor Flitwick looked puzzled for a moment, and said, "Ten points to Hufflepuff for pointing out the blatantly obvious." Then he chuckled.

The strange thing was, when Harry created a portkey with the ability to return to its starting point, that also took an hour. And while Harry felt tired, he didn't feel the exhaustion that Filius described.

The portkey lessons took most of February and March, and when Harry finally created the most complex portkey, a permanent, two way portkey to the Tonks' house, he was finally exhausted. Yet it still only took him an hour. Filius scratched his head over the situation, but in the end accepted it as just another strange, unexpected effect of magic.

"If you could understand it, it wouldn't be magic," he explained.

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

"Mr. Ranger, do you know why you are here?"

"No, Professor McGonagall, I don't."

"I have reports from Professors Babbling, Kettleburn, Flitwick, Shacklebolt, and myself that you are not doing your assignments. You are in danger of failing. You are not even going to your Astronomy lessons. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Harry took a calming breath and looked around Professor McGonagall's office. There were stacks of rolled up parchment, books, and filing cabinets. There was virtually nothing indicating that the person who worked here had a life outside the office.

"I paid for my education, and I am seeing to it that I am getting it. I am working hard to learn as many spells as possible, and, for the most part, the essays on the spells we are learning is a distraction and waste of my time. I don't envision returning to Hogwarts next year, so the more magic I learn, the better off I'll be."

"Mr. Ranger! If you don't return to Hogwarts, how will you continue your education? You certainly can't make it in the wizarding world with a third-year education."

Harry smiled, "I don't intend to make it in the wizarding world. I intend to return to my own world."

"You can do that with just a third year education? I'd like to see that!"

"I never said I was going to do it on my own. Since Warlock Dumbledore doesn't appear to be keeping his word to help me return to my own world, I will get help elsewhere. He's not the only powerful wizard in the world, you know. I hear America, a land that doesn't exist in my world, has some very powerful Magic Users. If I have to, I will scour the world looking for help returning to my world. So, your essays and detentions don't mean a thing to me. I intend to learn as much as I can before I go."

"I cannot but help thinking you are sacrificing knowledge for skill. The skill can certainly come later, but you won't be able to gain the insight into the spells you are learning without some of these essays. And once away from Hogwarts, you won't have access to one of the best magical libraries in the world."

"I think I can live with my choices. I don't think I could forgive myself for missing the opportunities to learn the spells, if not the theory behind them."

In the end she had to accept his decision, as there was nothing she could do. Dumbledore had told her she couldn't expel him. That tied her hands. Any other student who didn't follow instructions would have been out of here. Why was Albus so interested in Harry Ranger, nee Potter?

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

"Mr. Ranger, Professor McGonagall tells me that you do not intend to return to Hogwarts next year. Is this correct?"

"It is. The gods willing, I will find someone who can help me get home. It's pretty obvious that no such help is forthcoming from England."

"You mean you do not intend on staying in Britain?"

"I believe everyone says you are the most powerful wizard in all the British Islands. If you can't help me, then I must go elsewhere."

"What if there was no way back?"

"Ridiculous. I got here, therefore it's not impossible."

"But look at it this way. If you place a piece of parchment on the floor, and let a drop of ink fall on it from a story up, you might hit the parchment, but you'd never be able to hit the same place twice. You may be able to travel to another world, but you would never be able to reach the world you called home."

"That is your opinion. I think I'll check with other Magic Users for their opinions."

"I humbly present myself as the greatest wizard of this age."

"And Fredrika of Kent was the greatest Druidess of her age, having reached the level of Master Druid. Yet, when an enemy came after her because of a treasure she guarded, she was killed by an orc. Her skills, her prowess, her wisdom, and her experience weren't enough to protect her from an orc.

"I'll be seeking other's opinions."

"You will be wasting your time."

"It's my time."

"You can wait until after you graduate Hogwarts."

"My liege lord needs me. I would be remiss in my duty if I did not go."

"It is just a few more years. . . ."

"It is twice as many years on my world."

"You keep saying that, but it's not true! THIS is your world. This is the world where you were born. This is the world where you should be living! Not some backwards world such as you describe." Dumbledore was angry.

"Yes, a backwards world without automobiles and airplanes and railroads and telephones and technology. What does that sound like. Oh yes, your secret, magical world."

"A world without the magics we do!"

"Somehow, we survive quite well without all the magics you do, thank you. Although, I have to say there are an awful lot more magic items in my world than in yours."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Nothing. Just a point of difference. Good night Headmaster."

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

Easter break finally came around. Many of his professors were surly with him, because Harry was barely doing the homework. Even Shacklebolt and Flitwick were angry with him. He had wanted to say goodbye to them and to thank them, but he felt he couldn't chance it. He had given less than totally honest answers to a number of people about his returning home. He realized, belatedly and abashedly, that didn't need anyone interfering with his leaving.

He took all his stuff and packed it up. He met Luna at the Ravenclaw house. He paid off his fourth year tutors.

Luna agreed to travel to the Tonks' house by portkey with Harry. They would avoid the train that way. Harry thought he would feel compelled to say goodbye to everyone he knew, and word of his leaving would leak out. They took the carriages to Hogsmeade station, took hold of the portkey, and activated it.

Harry and Luna arrived in the middle of the Tonks living room. They were soon met by Mr. Tonks ('Call me Ted, or Uncle Ted if you must') and Luna was shown to Nymphadora's room where she would be sleeping. Harry was given the guest room.

Now that they were 'home' Luna wanted to go out shopping. She wanted a broom, and thought Harry should get one too, since he had grown to like flying, and it would be an unusual and unexpected mode of travel in Harry's world.

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

Harry and Luna did go on a shopping trip to Diagon Alley. They picked up brooms, ("Something solid for me, and something well built and fast for you," Luna told him). Luna also bought a book bag with a magically expanded interior. She told Harry that she was going to start carrying around all her important things with her, like he did. They stopped by Gringotts. Both Harry emptied his account and Luna took out a large amount of gold. When Harry asked why, she didn't want to say. Harry was afraid she might do something like buy a pony, but, much as he liked her, he wasn't her guardian, and it would be up to Andi and Ted to teach her how to handle her money. He would warn them about the withdrawal.

Luna did talk with an account manager about keeping the property in Dover where her house stood secure and in her family. She didn't want it lost do to something silly like not paying property taxes. The goblins, for a fee, would take care of the property. Luna left satisfied, and Harry was impressed.

Finally, they came to the most important store (in Harry's mind) - Olivander's.

"Harry Ranger, Twelve inches, unicorn and holly. Is there anything wrong with your wand?"

"No, Master Wand Wright. However, I intend to soon travel back to my own world. As there is no regular connection between our worlds, I was hoping to learn a bit about the construction of a wand, so that should I need to replace mine, I would be able to do so."

"I do not teach my craft to outsiders."

"Then is there a book telling how it is done?"

"There is not such a book for those not of my family."

"Drat. Then I'm out of luck, and your craft will never exist on my world. A shame."

"Maybe," Luna said. "And maybe it will. Uncle Ollivander, will you share your secrets with me?"

"Luna Lovegood. Ten and a half inches, whomping willow and unicorn hair. Yes, you are of the family, but you are too young."

"Then, perhaps you could give me a book, and I can start learning it on my own."

"That's not how it's done."

"How it's done is how it's done. If you gave me a book on wand making, then that would be how it's done in this case. The fact that no one else did it like that wouldn't be germane."

"But I would be extremely irresponsible to give you such a book. You could show it to your friends, and then the secret would be out!"

"I could take an unbreakable vow to never show the book to anyone not in the family and to never teach anyone in the world the secrets of wand making."

It actually took another half hour before Luna wore the old wand maker down, and he accepted her unbreakable vow. Harry thought it was funny, but left without achieving his goal.  
>ADND<p>

Harry, Luna, and the whole Tonks family took a day to visit Ravenclaw's Retreat, as it was named by their daughter. They carefully cast preservation spells on the scrolls, and packed them and the entire library in moving boxes they brought for the occasion.

They had their swimsuits, and spent a very relaxing time in the hot pool. Ted took the opportunity to extoll the pleasures of indoor plumbing.

"Some places have water available inside buildings, but no, indoor plumbing, like in your world, is unknown in mine. Although the public baths in Bath are widely known and people who can do make pilgrimages there to enjoy them."

"We have places similar, although to be honest, most aren't known for their baths. The beaches on the Mediterranean Sea are usually for swimming and relaxing. Monte Carlo, on the coast of France, is known for gambling. Paris is known for its food and art treasures. America, well, America is known for wide open spaces, huge cities, and crazy people."

"Our population is much smaller than yours. According to Hermione Granger, it's because of your agricultural revolution that allows fewer farmers to feed more people, and thus they can become tradesman, clerks, entertainers, and layabouts."

Andi's eyebrow raised at the last comment. "And which category do we fall into?"

"Clerks. Although in my world, there isn't enough work to have many full time barristers and solicitors. So they would spend other time as the lord of the land requires; knowing how to read and write isn't that common, and they would have many opportunities to use their skills."

"Sounds like a strange place," Ted commented, with a shake of his head.

"Let me tell you, it makes a lot more sense to me than your world. Talk about strange." Harry had a lot of comments on the strange things he had encountered, or at least strange to him. It was fascinating getting an outsider's view on what they considered normal, everyday life.

But all good things come to an end, and they dried off, packed up, and went back to the Tonks' house.

Harry did give Ted and Andi a permanent portkey that would take them to Ravenclaw's Retreat and back to their home. They would be able to slip away and enjoy what Ted called "a natural hot tub" any time they wanted.

ADND ADND

Harry, Tonks and Luna stood in the Tonks' backyard. Harry noticed that Luna wasn't as upset as he expected.

"This is your last chance, Tonks. My world can be a pretty dangerous place, with monsters, armies, and magical items that can hex you. They are all over the place. I've lost more companions than I care to think about."

"You refused to date me because you came from a different world and were going back. I'm going back with you, so we can at least have a chance to see if we're compatible. Now let's get on with it."

"Good bye Luna. I'll miss you."

"I don't think you'll miss me as much as you think you will. You'll be very busy, fighting Saxons, saving towns, going on adventures. You'll hardly have any time to think of me."

"I would never forget you. Could never forget you. I'm just sorry I won't be around when you publish the annotated version of Ravenclaw's notebooks."

She looked sad at that. "That would be fun, but I don't think they'll be published. Some day I'll have to share with you what's in them."

"Now you've got my curiosity up."

Luna smiled at that. "Then you'll just have to do something to satisfy it. You know that an unsatisfied curiosity causes raxworms to breed in your bed. Hardly the sort of thing you want happening."

"No, I doubt anyone wants raxworms in their bed. Goodbye Luna." Harry knelt down on one knee and opened his arms for a hug. Luna jumped into them and a short time later they let go.

"Now go, before I do something like cry, and you don't want to know what that might cause."

Harry nodded, and lifted the amulet that he wore around his neck. Tonks, her stuff already in a magic bag slung over her shoulder, grabbed Harry in a hug and held his hand that was holding the amulet.

As Harry took a breath to activate the amulet, Luna lunged forward and grabbed him tight. Harry said the word and the world dimmed like the lights were going out.

ADND ADND ADND

Dear Andi and Ted,

Please accept my heartfelt thanks for letting me into your home and into your lives.

When you read this, your daughter and I should be in my world. She insisted on coming, and asked that you contact Dumbledore to get her back to your world sometime in the middle of August so she can resume classes.

As long as Dumbledore doesn't try to just pull her through, as he did me, she will at the least give him a message for you, or should she decide that my world isn't what she wants, she will return. I cannot make up her mind, I am sorry to say.

Enclosed are several letters. If we do not return tonight, then we are at least out of the world, and will not be returning any time soon. So if we are not there to stop you, please send the letters to the addressed people.

Again, thank you very much.

Ranger Harry

ADND ADND ADND ADND

Dear Professor _,

Thank you for your time and work sharing magic with me. I regret to inform you that I have returned to my own world, and will not be able to finish out the year.

It was good to meet you, and perhaps we shall meet again.

Harry Ranger

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

We did not part on good terms the last time we met, and for that I blame you. I still do not know what you wanted from me, but as of now, it is a moot question. I have either returned home, or was killed on one of the circles of Hell.

Should I still be alive, please do not try to pull me into your world again. I will kill you if you do.

Despite our differences, I do have a favor to ask you. In August, please contact Nymphadora Tonks the same way you contacted me before the kidnapping. She may want to go home at that time. I would appreciate it if you would bring her home, but only if she consents.

Please remember my threat should you kidnap me. I am known as a man of my word, and I would take my displeasure at being in your world again out on you, as honor would demand it.

Please take your responsibilities to instruct the children in your care to the best of your abilities, and protect them.

With luck, we will never see each other again.

Ranger Harry

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

Dear Ginny,

I have taken an opportunity to go home to my own world. Please don't think of this as a rejection of you. You should work at finding friends in your own grade now. You have successfully overcome what Riddle did to you. Don't let him win by hiding yourself from your fellow students. You are a good witch on your way to greatness.

Take care of yourself.

Your friend from afar,

Harry Ranger

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

Albus Dumbledore, headmaster, Grand Sorceror, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump - crumpled the letter in his hand.

"Damn. Damn. Damn! Damn! DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!

"Why do people have to be so damn difficult!"

ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND ADND

**Author Note**: That's the end of the first part. The second, as if you didn't know, takes place in Harry's D&D world. I realize that I have very slow updates, but I am working on it. Thanks for the reviews and encouragement.

And a special thanks to those people who helped point out problems with the chapter when I posted it in the Caer Azkaban group.


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